Beyond the Box: Redefining Mission-Critical Facilities at SAME Tulsa Industry Day

At the February 2026 SAME Tulsa Industry Day, Rick Siler of Larson Design Group (LDG) challenged a common misconception—that a hangar is just a “box” for an airplane. In his presentation, “Innovation in Hangar Design,” he demonstrated how rethinking procurement, technology, and construction methods—often referred to as Alternative Construction Methods (ACM) —is essential for supporting the modern warfighter.

The “Hanger” vs. “Hangar” Difference

Rick kicked off with a lighthearted but critical distinction: a “hanger” costs $2 and lives in a closet, while a hangar costs millions, lives on an airfield, and protects vital national assets. This set the stage for a deep dive into how LDG is moving beyond traditional “boxes” to create highly specialized, mission-ready facilities.

Driving Innovation Through Alternative Methods

With over 50 years of combined experience and a track record of 250+ projects at Tinker AFB alone, Rick highlighted how innovation is born from necessity. He showcased several “case studies in creativity”:

  • B-52 Allied Support Hangar (Tinker AFB): Facing an undefined project start and complex non-MILCON funding, the team used a modular “equipment-style” procurement approach. This allowed the hangar to be effectively purchased like a piece of equipment, navigating around traditional procurement constraints.
  • Bomber Agile Common Hangar (BACH): To address the challenge of designing for the B-21 (whose dimensions were classified), LDG developed a modular hangar bay prototype. This “common superstructure” is configurable for different aircraft platforms and locations, providing the Air Force with extreme future flexibility.
  • KC-46A Fuel & Depot Maintenance Hangars: Under an aggressive schedule, the team utilized Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Reality to manage fast-track design submittals and mission-sensitive changes, ensuring operational continuity for the KC-46 Pegasus.
  • C-130J Tension Membrane Hangar (Hawaii): When a simple shade structure requirement evolved into a full maintenance need, the team utilized a tension fabric hangar combined with a PEMB maintenance building to solve corrosion and space constraints on a single-use site.

No One-Size-Fits-All Solution

The core takeaway from Rick’s presentation was clear: innovation takes many forms. Whether it’s through modular design, creative funding alignment, or advanced BIM technology, the goal remains the same – to reduce risk, cost, and schedule for our federal partners.

As mission requirements continue to evolve, LDG remains committed to ensuring that the “boxes” we build are as innovative as the aircraft they protect.

About the Speaker:

ABOUT LDG

Founded in 1986, LDG is an award-winning, employee-owned architecture, engineering, and consulting firm offering full-service capabilities and a national reach. For 40 years, we have provided an extraordinary breadth and depth of value-driven solutions to our diverse client base, investing in sustainable business practices and innovative technologies that allow us to pursue our shared vision: creatively shaping our world. For more information, visit About – Larson Design Group.