CCI Group LLC has been awarded a $25,394,305 contract by the 56th Contracting Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona to renovate Building 617 to house F-35A Modified Mission Rehearsal Trainers, according to Defense Department contract data compiled by GlobalSecurity.org. The award, designated FA488726F0047 and announced May 21, 2026, expands simulation infrastructure at the installation that hosts the 56th Fighter Wing — the world's largest F-35A training wing.
Luke AFB and the F-35A Training Mission
Luke Air Force Base sits west of Phoenix, Arizona, and has served as the primary F-35A formal training unit location since the aircraft entered service. The 56th Fighter Wing's designation as the world's largest F-35A training wing reflects a throughput demand driven by the aircraft's adoption across the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and the allied nations that have purchased the F-35A variant. Pilot training at Luke supports not only American aviators but also the partner nation pilots whose countries have integrated the F-35A into their air forces — a multinational training mission that concentrates international relationships and interoperability requirements at a single base in the Arizona desert.
Luke's role as an international training hub adds a diplomatic dimension to its infrastructure investments. When partner nations send pilots to Luke for F-35A training, the quality of the simulation infrastructure directly affects those nations' perceptions of their investment in the F-35 program and in the bilateral defense relationship. Purpose-built, modern training facilities are therefore not merely a domestic Air Force priority but a visible commitment to the partner nation relationships that the F-35 program is designed to cement over decades of shared operations. The scale of that training mission creates a continuous demand for simulator capacity that parallels and supplements live flying hours. Every pilot moving through the F-35A formal training course requires simulator time to build proficiency in the aircraft's systems before and alongside their flying sorties. As the number of operational F-35A squadrons grows and the training pipeline expands to meet demand, the simulation infrastructure at Luke must grow to match — which is precisely what the Building 617 renovation is designed to accomplish.
What Mission Rehearsal Trainers Do
Modified Mission Rehearsal Trainers are high-fidelity flight simulators that replicate the F-35A cockpit environment with sufficient accuracy to train pilots in mission systems operation, sensor fusion, threat reaction, and weapons employment. Unlike basic procedural trainers used for initial cockpit familiarization, mission rehearsal systems are built to simulate full tactical scenarios including adversary air threats, surface-to-air missile systems, and the complex sensor and communications picture that characterizes F-35A operations in a contested environment. The "Modified" designation indicates these systems incorporate updated software or hardware configurations that reflect the current operational configuration of the aircraft, keeping simulator training aligned with the fleet the pilots will actually fly.
Housing these systems requires purpose-built or purpose-renovated facilities. Simulation systems at the complexity level of F-35A MRTs require controlled environments: stable temperature and humidity for sensitive electronics, raised flooring for power and data infrastructure, structural reinforcement to support the weight and vibration characteristics of full-motion platforms, and electromagnetic compatibility measures to prevent interference with the simulation systems' sensors and displays. Renovation of an existing building — Building 617 in this case — to meet those specifications is a technically demanding construction project, not a straightforward office or hangar renovation.
The facility must also meet Air Force security requirements appropriate for classified simulation content. F-35A mission rehearsal scenarios operate against classified threat models and involve tactics, techniques, and procedures that are protected at levels requiring physical security measures in the facility itself. That security layer adds design and construction requirements that distinguish this project from commercial simulation facility construction.
What It Means for Contractors
CCI Group's award reflects a MILCON and special-purpose construction market that is distinct from standard DoD building projects. Military construction at active Air Force installations requires cleared personnel, familiarity with Air Force construction standards and UFC (Unified Facilities Criteria) requirements, and experience coordinating with base operations, safety, and security offices throughout the project. Firms without prior installation construction experience face a significant learning curve on their first active-base project — relationships and knowledge built on earlier Luke AFB or Air Force MILCON projects provide a concrete competitive advantage.
The F-35A program's training wing expansion is not limited to Luke. Other F-35 training and operational bases will face comparable simulation infrastructure requirements as the fleet grows and training throughput demands increase. Contractors that build a track record on simulator facility construction — from the unique power, data, and structural requirements of simulation systems to the classified facility design elements — are positioning themselves for a pipeline of similar work at F-35 bases in the United States and at allied nation installations.
Subcontracting opportunities within this project span several specialty trades. Electrical contractors with experience in high-density UPS and power conditioning systems for sensitive electronics, low-voltage contractors experienced in structured cabling for simulation networks, and mechanical contractors familiar with precision climate control for data-intensive environments are all potential partners on a project of this type. Physical security system integrators — intrusion detection, access control, and TEMPEST mitigation — represent an additional specialized subcontracting layer driven by the facility's classified simulation content.
Firms tracking Luke AFB construction opportunities should monitor the 56th Contracting Squadron's forecast postings and maintain relationships with the base's civil engineering directorate. Active F-35 training wings generate recurring infrastructure investment as the program matures, making this installation a worthwhile long-term market focus for military construction firms operating in the Southwest region.
Beyond Luke, the F-35A fleet's global footprint creates a distributed pipeline of similar construction requirements. Allied nations operating the F-35A face the same simulation capacity pressures as the U.S. Air Force and are investing in trainer facilities at their own installations. Foreign Military Sales construction projects, executed through the Army Corps of Engineers or equivalent channels, can provide additional opportunities for firms with the security clearance infrastructure and international project management experience to pursue work outside the continental United States. Companies that build MILCON expertise on domestic F-35 simulator facility projects position themselves for that broader market as the international F-35 fleet matures.
