HILL AIR FORCE BASE — A new $35 million software support facility will soon open at Hill Air Force Base.

According to a Hill press release, the new facility will serve the 309th Software Maintenance Group and is necessary to accomplish sustainment workloads for the F-22 Raptor, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and other long-term Department of Defense programs.

According to Hill’s press release, software is becoming ever-more important in military weapons systems.

Tracy Stauder, deputy director of the group, said the building will provide “state-of-the-art engineering labs and an agile work environment for our scientist and engineer workforce.”

The building will house some 350 work stations and has more than 15,000-square-feet of lab space.

The 309th has hired almost 400 people over the past three years, and is expected employ more than 3,000 staffers over the next ten years, according to Hill’s press release.

Construction of the facility was aided by the state of Utah through the enhanced use lease program.

The Utah Legislature previously appropriated $21.5 million to the Military Installation Development Authority, to facilitate the development of under-utilized military land at Hill, the Falcon Hill National Aersopace Research Park and other locations across the state.

The new software building sits at a secure location inside Hill’s security boundary.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the building will be held Friday. The 309th is expected to move in sometime in April.