What Military Bases are in Florida?

The state of Florida has been involved in every U.S. conflict from the American Revolution to the present day. Florida has several military museums and historical sites that document this such as the National Museum of Naval Aviation and the Pensacola Naval Air Station Museum. The state is home to twenty-four military installations:

• • Air Station Clearwater
  • Air Station Miami
  • Blount Island Command
  • Center for Information Warfare Training Corry Station
  • Eglin Air Force Base
  • Homestead Air Reserve Base
  • MacDill Air Force Base
  • NAS Jacksonville
  • NAS Key West
  • NAS Pensacola
  • NAS Whiting Field
  • Naval Air Warfare Center
  • NS Mayport
  • NSA Panama City
  • Patrick Space Force Base
  • Sector Jacksonville
  • Sector Miami
  • Sector St. Petersburg
  • Tyndall Air Force Base
  • USCG District 7 HQ

Air Station Clearwater

Air Station Clearwater is the largest air station in the Coast Guard. In 1942 it was established as a training station but was commissioned in 1943 to be a major center for Coast Guard air operations. Their core missions include search and rescue, law enforcement, maritime safety, and environmental protection. Today, they operate approximately 10x MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters and 4x HC-130H Hercules airplanes. 

For more information, please see the base website: Air Station Clearwater

Air Station Miami

Established in 1932, Air Station Miami is known as the Coast Guard’s first “modern” aviation unit. It was originally located on Biscayne Bay, but has since relocated to Opa-locka Executive Airport in Opa-locka, FL. It operates the HC-144 Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft and the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter. The station is responsible for search and rescue, law enforcement, maritime safety, and environmental protection in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea.

For more information, please see the base website: Air Station Miami

Blount Island Command

Blount Island Command was established in 1989 as a subordinate command to Marine Corp Logistics Base Albany, GA. It serves as the homeport for three Maritime Prepositioning Squadrons (MPSRONs) which consist of multiple non-commissioned cargo ships loaded with critical supplies and equipment. Their core functions include prepositioning, deployment support, and redeployment/reset.

For more information, please see the base website: Blount Island Command

Center for Information Warfare Training Corry Station

Originally named Corry Field, it was named after Medal of Honor recipient LCDR William M. Corry Jr., who died saving a fellow officer from a burning aircraft. Its primary function was to support flight training operations at the Naval Air Station Pensacola. In 1960 the focus of Corry Field changed from aviation to technical training, and it was renamed to the Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station in 1973. After 2003 it got its current name as the Navy increased their focus on information warfare.

For more information, please see the base website: Center for Information Warfare Training Corry Station

Eglin Air Force Base

Eglin AFB is one of the oldest active-duty Air Force bases in the United States. Originally named the Valaraiso Bombing and Gunnery Range, it became the first gunnery training area for Army Air Forces fighter pilots. After being renamed to Eglin Field in 1937, President Roosevelt called for its expansion in prep for escalating conflict in Europe. After being established as Eglin Air Force Base in 1947, it became the testing site for the MOAB in the 1980s and still remains a vital base for the U.S Air Force.

For more information, please see the base website: Eglin Air Force Base

Homestead Air Reserve Base

Homestead  Army Air Field was constructed in 1942 as a base for Army Air Forces during World War II. After being deactivated in 1945 due to hurricane damage, it transitioned to a civilian facility for over a decade. In 1956 it was renamed to Homestead Air Force Base and became home to the B-47E Stratojet bombers and KC-97G Stratofreighter tankers. Today the base is owned by the Air Force Reserve and is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing which is equipped with F-16C/D fighter jets.

For more information, please see the base website: Homestead Air Reserve Base

MacDill Air Force Base

MacDill Air Force Base has evolved over the years from a training ground for World War II bomber crews to a glocal center for airlift and special operations. The base is home to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and the 6th Air Refueling Wing. 

For more information, please see the base website: MacDill Air Force Base

NAS Jacksonville

The site for NAS Jacksonville was originally occupied by the U.S. Army as Cap Joseph E. Johnston, a training center, during World War I. In 1940 it was commissioned as Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Following World War II, it transitioned from a primary training center to a support base for operational fleet units. 

For more information, please see the base website: NAS Jacksonville

NAS Key West

Naval Air Station Key West is nestled on the southernmost top of Florida and has a very long history. The base was originally established in 1823 to combat piracy in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Today, it continues to support similar missions in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard as they focus on anti-drug smuggling operations. 

For more information, please see the base website: NAS Key West

NAS Pensacola

NAS Pensacola, nicknamed “The Cradle of Naval Aviation” is another base that has a long history. Originally established in 1825 as a shipbuilding and repair facility for the Navy, it remained this way for almost 100 years before becoming the first dedicated naval aviation training facility in the United States in 1914. Today, it remains a training center for aviators and is home to the Naval Aviation Schools Command, Naval Flight Academy, Officer Candidate School for Naval Aviation, and a variety of specialized training programs for different aircraft types. 

For more information, please see the base website: NAS Pensacola

NAS Whiting Field

NAS Whiting Field is the busiest active-duty training base for primary flight training in the U.S. Navy. It serves as the first step in the training pipeline for most Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard aviators. Pilots learn the fundamentals of flight control and develop basic aviation skills before proceeding to advanced training on specific airframes. 

For more information, please see the base website: NAS Whiting Field

Naval Air Warfare Center

Following the closure of the Naval Air Development Center in 1996, the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division was formed. The facility conducts RDT&E for all U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aircraft and aircraft systems. Some of the activities they focus on include development and testing of new fighter jets, helicopters, and UAVs, evaluating avionics, weapons systems, and other aircraft systems.

For more information, please see the base website: Naval Air Warfare Center

NS Mayport

NS Mayport serves as the homeport for a variety of crucial Atlantic Fleet elements including: Destroyer Squadron 14, Destroyer Squadron 24, Expeditionary Strike Group 2, and numerous cruisers, destroyers, amphibious assault ships, and support vessels. It has the third-largest fleet concentration area in the United States. 

For more information, please see the base website: NS Mayport

NSA Panama City

Naval Support Activity Panama City is a leader in developing and refining strategies and technologies for littoral warfare expertise. Their research directly translates into advancements for the operational fleet’s capabilities such as unmanned vehicles, advanced weaponry, shallow water countermeasures, and enhanced amphibious warfare capabilities. 

For more information, please see the base website: NSA Panama City

Patrick Space Force Base

Patrick Space Force Base has been owned by three different military branches over its history. Originally established as NAS Banana River in the 1940s, it was used for seaplane patrols and anti-submarine warfare during World War II. In 1948 it was transferred to the U.S. Air Force in anticipation of establishing a missile testing range and supported the launches of the first ICBMs in the U.S.. It played a role in supporting the Apollo program and continued to focus on space exploration until the Space Force was established in 2019 which led to its current name.  

For more information, please see the base website: Patrick Space Force Base

Sector Jacksonville

Sector Jacksonville was created in 2005 as part of a major reorganization of the Coast Guard’s operational structure. The sector is responsible for over 40,000 square miles of ocean and inland waterways and 190 miles of coastline. Like most Coast Guard units, their missions include Search and Rescue, Maritime Law Enforcement, Marine Safety, Ports and Waterways Security, Recreational Boating Safety, and Aids to Navigation.

For more information, please see the base website: Sector Jacksonville

Sector Key West

Sector Key West can trace its roots back to 1824, when the 63-foot schooner named “Florida” sailed into the Port of Key West which marked the first permanent Coast Guard presence in the region. Similar to their mission now, the crew of the “Florida ” tackled diverse tasks like collecting maritime tariffs, chasing pirates, preventing smuggling, and rescuing those in distress at sea. The sector was officially stood up in its current form in 2004 after combining the resources of 3 other Coast Guard elements. Sector Key West is responsible for approximately 55,000 square miles of ocean waters. 

For more information, please see the base website: Sector Key West

Sector Miami

Sector Miami was established in World War II to meet the heightened need for maritime security and patrol activities along Florida’s southeastern coast and surrounding waters. The sector continues to fulfill a diverse range of missions including search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, migrant interdiction, ports and waterways security, and marine environmental protection. Sector Miami is responsible for approximately 187,000 square miles of ocean and coastal waters and 1,280 miles of coastline. 

For more information, please see the base website: Sector Miami

Sector St. Petersburg

Located strategically near Tampa Bay, the Sector plays a crucial role in search and rescue, maritime safety, and security in the region. Established in 1924, its initial focus was on anti-smuggling patrols, particularly during the Prohibition era. As Tampa Bay’s port expanded, so did the Coast Guard’s presence which led to the official establishment of Sector St. Petersburg in 1997. They are responsible for over 400 miles of coastline.

For more information, please see the base website: Sector St. Petersburg

Tyndall Air Force Base

The base was established in 1940 as the Flexible Gunnery School No. ( in response to the growing need for trained aerial gunners during World War II. It is named after 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall, a World War I fighter pilot credited with shooting down enemy aircraft. Between the 1950s and 1970s, Tyndall AFB evolved into a training center for air defense tactics during the Cold War and became a hub for training pilots and ground control intercept operators to defend against potential enemy aircraft. 

For more information, please see the base website: Tyndall Air Force Base

USCG District 7 

Located in Miami, the District 7 headquarters serves as the central command center for Coast Guard activities in the southeastern region of the United States within its AOR. It is responsible for coordinating the activities of Coast Guard Cutters, smaller patrol boats, aircraft, specialized units, and district-wide communications and information systems. 

For more information, please see the base website: USCG District 7