Largest US Naval Air Stations By Land Area

The U.S. Navy operates a vast shore-based aviation footprint that stretches far beyond carrier air wings, with some installations covering hundreds of thousands of acres, training ranges, testing facilities and controlled airspace. A new ranking orders naval aviation installations by total land area controlled by the facility, including associated ranges and annexes that are part of the mission. The list highlights six of the largest U.S. Navy air installations by land area, spanning locations from inland deserts in California and Nevada to major fleet-support bases on both coasts. One entry is Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia, which totals more than 10,000 acres (about 40.5 km²) when its primary facilities and the Dam Neck Annex are counted. Oceana serves as the Navy’s premier East Coast master jet base, hosting carrier-based strike fighter squadrons and supporting Atlantic Fleet readiness through training sorties and aircraft maintenance.