The Hawaii Army National Guard (HIARNG) held a

The Hawaii Army National Guard (HIARNG) held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. in Kalaeloa. The AASF's mission is to provide fully mission-capable aircraft and ready aircrews to aviation units assigned to the HIARNG. This new AASF will be the third in Hawaii and the second on Oahu. The current facility on Oahu, located at Wheeler Army Airfield, does not provide all of the required space needed since the elements of three HIARNG units were reorganized and modernized in 1995. Two types of helicopters will be using the hangar area, the CH-47 Chinook and the UH-60 Black Hawk. The facility will house three Black Hawks that will take up the medevac mission in 2016. The Kalaeloa AASF will cost $32.6 million and will be built by Watts Constructors LLC. The estimated completion date is November 2016. The Kalaeloa AASF will encompass almost 67,000 square feet and will have a large hangar to support aircraft as well as an administrative area for classrooms, restrooms, conference rooms and offices.