What’s being built near Air Force base in Warner Robins? Details on $18.5M project
Southwest Research Institute is expanding its footprint in Warner Robins with a new $18.5 million, 33,000-square-foot facility for electronic warfare development.
The new facility is under construction at 653 Tallulah Trail across the street from Tyrian #111 Masonic Lodge, about 3 miles west of Robins Air Force Base.
Headquartered in San Antonio, the independent nonprofit, applied research and development organization currently leases a 15,000-square-foot building for its Warner Robins staff at 609 Russell Parkway in Parkway Commons.
At the Warner Robins location, most SwRI staff members are developing electronic warfare technology, countermeasure systems to protect aircraft from enemy weapons fire, according to a SwRI news release. Some of the government projects are managed offsite at Robins AFB.
More than double in size and including new laboratory areas, the new Warner Robins facility will give SwRI the capability to test equipment on site that now can only be tested at Robins AFB, according to the release.
The new one-story facility will also house office space for more than 50 SwRI staff and consultants, more conference space and other areas for future development.
SwRI opened its current Warner Robins location more than three decades ago in 1990.
“The growth and expansion of the office in Warner Robins follows the ‘SwRI model’ of enabling our innovative staff members to take the lead and pursue their personal professional aspirations,” Walt Downing, SwRI executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in the news release.
“Our staff members in Warner Robins are proud to serve our USAF clients in electronic warfare, and we are pleased to provide the facilities, equipment and internal research funding to help them be successful.”
The work supports the U.S. Air Force Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex at Robins AFB.
The new Warner Robins location marks the first time SwRI has purchased land and constructed a facility outside of its home base of San Antonio since its founding in 1947, according to the release. SwRI traditionally has only leased office and laboratory space away from its home base.
The new build was determined to be the best solution to meet client needs in Warner Robins.
“While we expand our footprint, we’re doing something good in the Warner Robins community, hiring and growing the local economy as well as keeping our warfighters safer,” Winfield Greene, director of SwRI’s advanced electronic warfare department, said in the news release.
SwRI develops custom defense, cyber security, radio frequency and signal analysis solutions to advance homeland security, according to the release.
SwRI operates 10 U.S. locations outside of its San Antonio headquarters as well as international locations in Beijing, China, and the United Kingdom, according to the release. SwRi also has a wholly owned subsidiary, Signature Science LLC, in Austin, Texas.