EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- As two Edwards F-16 Fighting Falcons took off from the new base runway Oct. 31 at about 10:45 a.m., they marked the runway's first operational use. 

Maj. Gen. David Eichhorn, Air Force Flight Test Center commander, Col. William Thornton, 412th Test Wing commander, and Col. Jerry Gandy, 95th Air Base Wing commander, performed the first flight off the $118 million runway. 

Before the flight, Team Edwards held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the runway. 

"At the time the first paved runway at Edwards was poured over 50 years ago, people could not have imagined the rich history and flight test heritage that would follow," said General Eichhorn. "Today, it's inspiring to know, we can only imagine what this runway will see from hypersonic vehicles and beyond. The Army Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with Joint Venture, CH2M Hill Construction and Interstate Highway Corporation, did a fantastic job. Air Force Flight Test Center leadership, along with leaders from the two wings on base, watched as the last strip of concrete was poured on Sept. 19, a short four months after initial construction began." 

Edwards had to refurbish the old runway because the concrete was breaking down due to an alkali-silica reaction. The alkali and silicate in the concrete caused chemical reactions that weakened the concrete. 

"Having this new runway mitigates the risk of losing an aircraft to the pieces of concrete that were breaking off the old runway, said James Judkins, director of the 95th Civil Engineering and Transportation Directorate. "The price to replace one of the aircraft we have on that runway would actually cost more than just replacing the runway itself." 

To accommodate with the base's flight test mission, a temporary runway was built between the old main runway and the flightline. The Army Corps of Engineers, the 95th CE and the contractors finished the main runway in September, four months ahead of schedule. 

"The speed of construction and quality of this runway is in keeping with the tradition of excellence from American business and its workers," Colonel Thornton said. "The 412th Test Wing looks forward to using the runway to continue its proud legacy of development of aerospace systems that maintain the United States as the preeminent air and space power." 

Colonel Gandy attributes the completion of the runway to the base's teamwork. 

"We are extremely proud of the team effort that was able to finish the runway early," Colonel Gandy said. "However, we are most proud that we have a solid foundation for the future of America's Premier Flight Test Center in the opening of our new runway."