Aerial view of Naval Station Mayport in 1993 with Saratoga and Constellation undergoing maintenance.
Naval Station Mayport(IATA: NRB, ICAO: KNRB, FAALID: NRB) is a major United States Navy base on San Pablo Island[3] in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a protected harbor that can accommodate aircraft carrier-size vessels, ship's intermediate maintenance activity (SIMA) and a military airfield (Admiral David L. McDonald Field) with one asphalt paved runway (5/23) measuring 8,001ft ×200ft (2,439m ×61m).[1]
The station was commissioned in December 1942. It was reclassified as a Naval Sea Frontier base in 1943.[4] A new naval auxiliary air station (NAAS) was established in April 1944. The naval section Base and the NAAS supported the Atlantic Fleet during World War II. Both were closed after the war. In June 1948, Mayport was reestablished as a naval outlying landing field. The base area was increased to 1,680 acres (680ha) and the runway was extended in the mid 1950s.
USSTarawa became the first capital ship to use the new aircraft carrier basin in October 1952. The Base was renamed back to a Naval Auxiliary Air Station in July 1955. The naval station was extended to accommodate more ships, sailors and their families and the airfield re-designated as a separate naval air station in 1988. As part of post-Cold War force reductions and staff consolidations, NAS Mayport was merged back into NS Mayport in 1992.[5]
NS Mayport has grown to become the third-largest naval surface fleet concentration area in the United States. The station has a busy harbor capable of accommodating 34 ships and an 8,001-foot (2,439m) runway capable of handling most aircraft in the Department of Defense inventory.
The base has historically served as the homeport to various conventionally powered aircraft carriers of the United States Atlantic Fleet, including Shangri-La (1960–1971), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1956–1977), Forrestal (1977–1993), Saratoga (1957–1994), and, most recently, John F. Kennedy (1995–2007). With the decommissioning of all conventionally-powered aircraft carriers by the U.S. Navy, no carriers are presently assigned to Mayport. However, both houses of Congress have passed legislation authorizing about US$75 million for dredging and upgrades at NAVSTA Mayport to accommodate a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.[6][7]
On 29 January 2010, the Quadrennial Defense Review Report stated that a nuclear aircraft carrier would be homeported at NS Mayport. The action will help protect the fleet against a potential terror attack, accident or natural disaster, because all east coast aircraft carriers are currently based at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, according to the report. West coast aircraft carriers are split between Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, Naval Base Kitsap and Naval Station Everett in Washington state and one carrier assigned to the Forward Deployed Naval Force (FDNF) homeported at Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan.
In 2009, Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense, stated, "Having a single (nuclear carrier) homeport has not been considered acceptable on the west coast and should not be considered acceptable on the east coast."[8] The decision was opposed by elected officials in Virginia,[9] who would lose 3,500 sailors and their dependents, $425 million in revenue each year, and most importantly, 6,000 support jobs.[10] The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce estimated the loss at 11,000 jobs and $650 million per year.[11] Infrastructure changes and facility construction at Mayport were estimated to take five years and cost over half a billion dollars. The 2011 budget committed $590 million during the fiscal years from 2011 to 2019, so a carrier may not move to Mayport until 2019.[10][12] An amphibious group was assigned sooner. The USSIwo JimaAmphibious Ready Group (ARG), consisting of Iwo Jima, USSNew York and USSFort McHenry relocated to Mayport between December 2013 and August 2014.[13][14]
The Virginia congressional delegation fought the loss of even one of Naval Station Norfolk's aircraft carriers boost to their economy by citing other areas such as shipbuilding to spend the Navy's tight budget.[15]
On 5 September 2018, the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier, HMSQueen Elizabeth and escort frigate HMSMonmouth, arrived at Mayport for resupplying, on her first deployment to the United States for "Westlant 18".[16]
Mayport had been the home of Destroyer Squadron 14 for years. On 31 July 2015, the squadron was merged with Cruiser-Destroyer Readiness Support Detachment Mayport to form Naval Surface Squadron Fourteen (NAVSURFRON14). In 2024, the SURFRON was turned into Commander Naval Surface Group Southeast (CNSG-SE). Currently, the surface group (surfgru) consists of the destroyers Carney, The Sullivans, Lassen, Farragut, Thomas Hudner, Paul Ignatius, Delbert D. Black, Carney, Donald Cook, and Winston S. Churchill.[21]
On 1 April 1944, the air facility at Mayport was commissioned as Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Mayport. Following World War II, the NAAS was decommissioned and placed in a caretaker status. The United States Coast Guard took over the base and operated a small "Boot Camp" there for several years, but they vacated Mayport in late 1947 due to budget cuts. Mayport was reactivated again in June 1948 as a Naval Outlying Landing Field under the cognizance of the Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station Jacksonville. As helicopter aviation evolved during the Cold War, Mayport became the East Coast home for the Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) MK III squadrons. As a reflection of growth, Naval Air Facility Mayport was re-designated as a naval air station in 1988.[26]
Aircraft wings and squadrons
Helicopter wing
Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet
USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy. The ship was named for the Battle of Iwo Jima of World War II. The ship was commissioned in 2001 and is in service.
USS Carney (DDG-64) is the 14th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The guided-missile destroyer is the first to be named after Admiral Robert Carney, who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about 4 miles (6.4 km) of waterfront space and 11 miles (18 km) of pier and wharf space of the Hampton Roads peninsula known as Sewell's Point. It is the world's largest naval station, with the largest concentration of U.S. Navy forces through 75 ships alongside 14 piers and with 134 aircraft and 11 aircraft hangars at the adjacently operated Chambers Field. Port Services controls more than 3,100 ships' movements annually as they arrive and depart their berths.
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels; both may be used for destroyer units. Similar formations are used in non-English-speaking countries, e.g., the "escadrille"—which would translate directly as "squadron"—in France.
USS Suribachi (AE-21) was a Suribachi-class ammunition ship of the United States Navy. The ship was laid down on 31 January 1955 at Sparrows Point, Maryland, by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc.; launched on 2 November 1955; sponsored by Mrs. Lemuel C. Shepherd; and commissioned on 17 November 1956. She was named for the volcano of Iwo Jima, Mount Suribachi, the hill where the photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima was taken.
Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, with most of its various squadrons also home based at NAS Oceana. Additional squadrons are based at Naval Station Norfolk/Chambers Field, Virginia; Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina; Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington; and Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida.
USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named after US Marine Corps corporal Jason Dunham, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for service in the Iraq War.
The Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Naval aviation units operating primarily in the Atlantic under United States Fleet Forces Command. Type Commanders are in administrative control (ADCON), and in some cases operational control (OPCON) of certain types of assets assigned to the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. AIRLANT is responsible for the material readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.
Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron Seven Seven (HSM-77) "Saberhawks" is a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Facility, Atsugi, Japan. HSM-77 is attached to Carrier Air Wing Five and deploys aboard USS Ronald Reagan and air capable ships attached to Carrier Strike Group Five (CSG-5). The squadron was established as Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) Forty Seven (HSL-47) on 25 September 1987 and was redesignated HSM-77 on 2 Apr 2009.
Helicopter Maritime Strike Seven Four (HSM-74), the "Swamp Foxes", is a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida. HSM-74 is attached to Carrier Air Wing Three and deploys aboard cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and aircraft carriers in support of a carrier strike group. It was established on 21 August 1986 as Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) Forty Four (HSL-44)
Carrier Strike Group 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. As of August 2022, CSG-10 consists of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), the strike group's current flagship, with Carrier Air Wing Seven embarked on board, as well as the Ticonderoga-class cruiserLeyte Gulf, and four ships of Destroyer Squadron 26.
USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) was a Freedom-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She was the fifth ship to be named for the city of Milwaukee, the largest city in Wisconsin.
USS Detroit (LCS-7) was the fourth Freedom-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the sixth ship to be named after the city of Detroit, Michigan.
USS Montgomery (LCS-8) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the fourth ship to be named for Montgomery, the capital of Alabama.
Destroyer Squadron 26 (DESRON-26) is a destroyer squadron of the United States Navy. It was first created in 1950. It has seen action in the Korean War, service in the Atlantic, in the Vietnam War. From 1974 for a period it became the 'Mod Squad', trialling ships commanded by officers one rank junior to the usual appointment rank.
Helicopter Maritime Strike Four Six (HSM-46), the "Grandmasters", are a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida. HSM-46 deploys aboard cruisers, destroyers, and aircraft carriers in independent operations or in support of strike groups. The squadron was established on 7 April 1988 as Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) Forty Six (HSL-46)
Attack Squadron 15 (VA-15), nicknamed the Valions, was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. It was established as Torpedo Squadron 4 (VT-4) on 10 January 1942, redesignated VA-2A on 15 November 1946, and finally redesignated VA-15 on 2 August 1948. The squadron was disestablished on 1 June 1969, after 27 years of service.
HSM-72 Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron Seven-Two, also known as Proud Warriors is a helicopter squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The Proud Warriors are a part of Carrier Air Wing One and deploy aboard the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). The squadron was established as Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) Forty Two (HSL-42) on 5 October 1984
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