Southwest Research Institute celebrates opening of $18.5 million Warner Robins facility

SWRI has partnered with the Robins Air Force Base for 35 years, supporting military missions by advancing electronic warfare and avionics technology.

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Today, the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) celebrated the opening of its new $18.5 million Warner Robins facility. SWRI has partnered with the Robins Air Force Base for more than three decades and supports military missions by advancing electronic warfare and avionics technology.

“Robins Air Force Base is a significant electronic warfare hub,” said Jarrett Holcomb, the Research and Development Manager at SWRI’s Warner Robins site. “And so, Southwest saw it beneficial to support and build a local facility here.”

Holcomb says workers develop advanced aerospace technology and electronic warfare solutions that detect and intercept enemy radar signals, which can make the difference between life and death for Air Force pilots. The 33,000-square-foot facility allows for technology evaluations on-site, which Holcomb says offers a range of new possibilities.

“The ability to plug something in as soon as it rolls off the aircraft to go ahead and fix problems, to go ahead and implement solutions for the Air Force was very, very important to us,” Holcomb said. “And we designed the facility around that.” 

SWRI established a Warner Robins office in 1990 but previously operated only out of leased office spaces. The new facility is the organization’s first outside of its San Antonio headquarters. Larhonda Patrick, the Mayor of Warner Robins, says it increases the odds of Middle Georgia-born STEM graduates returning home after school and pouring into the community.

“As we look ahead, we see opportunities for partnerships with our schools and colleges, inspiring those young people I just mentioned to pursue careers in STEM and keeping Georgia’s brightest minds right here,” Patrick said. 

Holcomb says the role of electronic warfare is steadily increasing, along with the importance the Robins Air Force Base has in national defense. He says this makes the multi-million-dollar investment all the more worth it.

“This is helping warfighters in the future and helping the U.S. benefit the D.O.D. community,” Holcomb said.