This year’s federal defense budget has allocated more than 1.5 billion dollars for emergency construction projects at Tyndall Air Force Base in Bay County that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael in October of last year. Prior to the hurricane, Tyndall had hosted two squadrons of F-22 Raptor fighter jets. Plans now call for the base to host three squadrons of F-35 fighter jets, beginning in 2023. A provision in the bill says the Air Force should restore Tyndall Air Force Base to achieve military installation resilience and that the rebuilding should use innovative construction methods, materials, designs, and technologies to achieve efficiencies and cost savings.