US Rep. Mike Turner visits Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, tours AFRL facility

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) — Congressman Mike Turner, who represents Ohio’s 10th Congressional District, visited Wright-Patterson Air Force Base’s Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, Feb. 13, 2023, for a tour of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate.

Darrell K. Phillipson, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate director, greeted Turner at a Wright Brothers Institute location prior to accompanying him on base.

Air Force Research Laboratory’s, or AFRL, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Director Darrell K. Phillipson, left, stands with Congressman Mike Turner at the Wright Brothers Institute in Riverside, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2023. Turner, a longtime supporter of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and other Ohio military installations, toured AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate the morning of Feb. 13, where he was welcomed by AFRL Executive Director Timothy Sakulich and representatives from AFRL’s Photonics, Electronics and Soft Matter Division. (U.S. Air Force Photo / Richard Eldridge)

“I was pleased to welcome Congressman Turner this morning,” said Phillipson, following the facility tour. “This visit was an opportunity to showcase some of the talent and recent advancements in the research that help to strengthen our military and sustain our nation’s defense. I am proud of the energy and effort that our team here in the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate consistently puts forth to help make our organization, and AFRL, the best they can be.”

AFRL Executive Director Timothy Sakulich also welcomed Turner to the facility, where Phillipson and representatives from the Photonics, Electronics and Soft Matter Division hosted the tour.

“The Air Force Research Laboratory plays an essential role in delivering, scaling and integrating emerging technologies into operational warfighting capabilities,” Turner said in an official statement to AFRL following his visit. “As our adversaries continue to challenge U.S. influence through technology, it’s critical that the lab has the necessary resources to accelerate and deliver these critical programs directly to our warfighter. I thank the men and women of AFRL for their hard work and commitment to our national security.”

Turner, a Dayton native and longstanding supporter of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, was first elected to Congress in 2002 and currently serves as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee.

In January 2023, Turner was appointed Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which has oversight of 17 intelligence agencies. Most recently, Turner was selected to sit on the Oversight and Accountability Committee, which seeks to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of the federal government and all its agencies.

Turner is a longtime advocate for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Ohio’s other military installations. He has participated in efforts to expand intelligence operations at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base by working to secure $182 million in federal funding for the construction of a new National Air and Space Intelligence Center, or NASIC, the U.S. Department of the Air Force’s primary source for foreign air and space threat analysis.

Turner’s last official trip to the base was Nov. 7, 2022, when he visited NASIC.

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 11,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit: www.afresearchlab.com.