Military Coast USA
Few other areas in the country can match this strategic mix of military assets, capabilities, and mission diversity within such close proximity.
Northwest Florida is home to the largest installation in the Department of Defense — Eglin Air Force Base. The base spans 724 square miles of land area across three counties, 134,000 square miles of overland air space, and hosts multiple military service units, as well as the Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range. NAS Pensacola is the ”Cradle of Naval Aviation” and home to the Blue Angels. NAS Whiting Field commands one of the busiest airspaces in the world and hosts over 60 percent of all military primary flight training. Hurlburt Field is home to the Air Force Special Operations Command Headquarters and the 1st Special Operations Wing. Tyndall Air Force Base is headquarters to the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region. Additionally, Naval Support Activity Panama City is host to several research-related projects. Corry Station is home to one-of-four commands for the Center for Information Warfare Training – our nation’s cyber warriors.
Northwest Florida
Military Footprint
Eglin Air Force Base
The 96th Test Wing at Eglin AFB, assigned under the Air Force Materiel Command, is the host unit for the DoD joint service installation supporting Air Force, Army, Navy and Space Force from five major commands; hosting 9 wings/wing equivalents and more than 35 major units for development programs, operational teams, military schools, and various federal agencies. The 96TW is the test and evaluation center for all Air Force air-delivered weapons, navigation and guidance systems, and command and control systems.
Primary Units Include:
- 53rd Wing
- Eglin Gulf Test & Training Range
- 20th Space Control Squadron
- Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate
- Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center
- 33rd Fighter Wing, the training wing for the F35 Joint Strike Fighter
- Army 7th Special Forces Group (A)
- Army 6th Training Battalion
- Naval School Explosive Ordinance Disposal
Naval Air Station Pensacola
In addition to hosting the Naval Education Training Command headquarters, NAS Pensacola supports 94 DoD and 31 non-DoD tenant commands, most of which are primarily dedicated to training Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard personnel in naval aviation. Other Major tenant commands include:
- The Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team
- Naval Aviation Schools Command
- Information Warfare Training Command
- Naval Air Technical Training Center
- Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21 and 23
- USAF 479th Flying Training Group
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field, a tenant on Eglin Air Force Base, is headquarters for Air Force Special Operations Command. Their mission is to support the training and execution of special operations such as unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counter-proliferation, foreign internal defense, information operations, psychological operations, civil affairs and combating terrorism worldwide.
Primary Units Include:
- 1st Special Operations Wing
- Air Force Special Operations Training Center
- 505th Command and Control Wing
- 24th Special Operations Wing
- 823d Red Horse Squadron
- 556th Red Horse Squadron
- 39th Information Operations Squadron
Naval Air Station Whiting Field
Every Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard helicopter pilot receives their initial rotary winged training at NASWF. More than 60 percent of all primary flight training is performed here.
Primary Units Include:
- Training Air Wing Five
- Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) Maintenance Detachment
- Center for Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) Detachment
Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is headquarters to the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region – First Air Force, which has the sole responsibility for ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the continental United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Primary Units Include:
- 325th Fighter Wing
- Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency
- 16th Electronic Warfare Squadron
- 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group
- MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft
Naval Support Activity Panama City
Naval Support Activity Panama City hosts many research-related units.
Primary Units Include:
- Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City
- Navy Experimental Diving Unit
- Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center
- Center for Navy Ordnance Disposal and Diving