see also: in August 2006 News Releases:   CBP Miami Field Office Tropical Storm Ernesto Advisory # 4   CBP Atlanta Field Office   CBP Border Patrol Agents Arrest Convicted Gang Member   CBP Miami Field Office Tropical Storm Ernesto Advisory #3   Customs and Border Protection to Staff Marinas in South Florida During Labor Day Weekend   CBP Tampa Field Office Tropical Storm Ernesto Advisory #1   CBP Miami Field Office Tropical Storm Ernesto Advisory #2 ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

Oklahoma City – U.S Customs and Border Protection officials broke ground today on a newaviation training center at the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.

CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham, CBP Air and Marine Assistant Commissioner Michael C. Kostelnik, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry and Rep. Ernest Istook officially broke ground for a new $20 million permanent hangar facility to support the National Air Training Center–Oklahoma City flight training and maintenance operations.

“I am very enthusiastic about this development,” said Commissioner Basham. “The expansion of this facility will improve CBP Air and Marine by enhancing standardization of pilot training and flight operations.”

The construction contract has been awarded to the Korte Construction Company of St. Louis. The 67,500-square-foot facility is scheduled to open in October 2007.

The new hangar fulfills a vision from when the original Customs National Aviation Center was established in 1987. To perform its critical mission, the aviation center was initially assigned a fleet of seven aircraft, consisting of two Cessna Citation interceptors, two Beechcraft King Air airplanes, a Cessna surveillance airplane and two new Astar surveillance helicopters. A temporary facility was established at Wiley Post Airport to support flight operations and associated maintenance. Staff members developed numerous courses of instruction that focused primarily on airborne tactics and safety and began training aircrew personnel from around the country. Through a rigorous standardization effort including regular field office audits, the aviation center helped promote increased safety, effectiveness and efficiency throughout the program.

On October 1, 2005, CBP Air and Marine Operations merged with elements from the Border Patrol to form U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine, the world’s largest law enforcement air force with over 500 pilots and 250 aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles. As a result of the merger, the aviation center was renamed the National Air Training Center – Oklahoma City, or NATC-OKC. With this merger, not only did the number of equipment and personnel assigned to NATC increase, the mission requirements and training challenges increased as well.

“Investing in development projects for pilot training like NATC-OKC, Oklahoma and the entire country will reap benefits far greater than the money spent to build this new facility,” Gov. Henry said. “When government and industry join forces to ensure the security of our country, the possibilities for new developments are endless.”

Rep. Earnest Istook concurred. “I’m proud to have worked on this long-term project to provide the funding as a part of Congress' duty to protect our borders,” Istook said. “It's good to see it underway.”

Upon completion, the new facility will be capable of housing additional aircraft and personnel necessary to meet projected increases in CBP Air and Marine training and standardization requirements.

CBP Office of Air and Marine’s mission is to protect the American people and critical infrastructure by using an integrated and coordinated air and marine force to detect, interdict and prevent acts of terrorism arising from unlawful movement of people, illegal drugs and other contraband moving toward or crossing the borders of the United States.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.