Groundbreaking set for $73 million helicopter hangar

According to officials at Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC Southeast), the $73 million+ modern helicopter hanger facility will be built by Walbridge Aldinger Co. and will provide hangar space for multiple squadrons of MH-60R "Seahawks." The MH-60R, known as "Romeo," will replace all previous models of Seahawk helicopters at NAS Jax by 2015.

"Having a new helicopter hangar here is a great step forward for NAS Jacksonville," said NAS Jacksonville Commanding Officer Capt. Chip Dobson. "The Navy is doing a lot with not only weapon systems acquisition, but is making sure all of the support pieces for the weapon systems are also in place.

"Ultimately, what this hangar will do is make the weapon system better because the people that are operating it, be they in the maintenance or flying side, have the right type of facility to allow them to the their jobs better. There is no substitute for being in a state-of-the-art building that is used for the purpose that it was designed for," he added.

The construction project will support expanding helicopter deployments and optimize airfield investments at NAS Jacksonville. Completion of the hangar is scheduled for the fall of 2009. The first Romeo squadron is scheduled to arrive in 2008, with the last one arriving in 2013. To position the new facility in the necessary location, two World War II-era hangars, Buildings 122 and 123, will be demolished.

The new hangar is designed to house five Romeo helicopter squadrons consisting of approximately 13 aircraft and 330 personnel in each module. In addition to the hangar bay, the project includes required maintenance support, administration, and building support spaces for each squadron. The project also includes a dual position helicopter wash rack along with site improvements such as utility infrastructure, repair/replacement of hangar aprons and tie-downs, new aircraft pavement markings, security fencing and gates, pedestrian circulation and parking lots.

According to Dobson, the project will have a significant financial impact in North Florida. "Clearly a large construction project like this one has a positive economic impact to the city during the construction period and it continues once the wing is here," he said. "Local companies will benefit from subcontracts and eventually the City of Jacksonville will benefit from the added revenues that additional military payrolls bring."

NAS Jacksonville's Public Works Officer Lt. Cmdr. Chuck Lewis is the NAVFAC Southeast contact for the new hangar and briefly described the project. "We have a super team of engineers, architects and construction professionals dedicated to this project," said Lewis. "Our team is excited that we are able to undertake this significant project for NAS Jacksonville and that our efforts will directly support our warfighters. We are fully prepared to begin construction and deliver this state-of-the-art facility on time."

Vital to our nation's defense, NAS Jacksonville is a multi-mission master air and industrial base which supports United States, NATO and allied forces worldwide. The base is home to the P-3C Orion long-range antisubmarine reconnaissance and maritime patrol aircraft, the SH-60F Seahawk antisubmarine warfare helicopter and the S-3B Viking sea control jet aircraft and hosts more than 100 tenant commands, including VP-30, the Navy's largest aviation squadron. It employs nearly 25,000 active duty, reserve, civilian and contract personnel and services thousands of retirees and family members resulting in nearly $2 billion being infused into the local community each year.

Base personnel take seriously the rich tradition, support and customer service they provide to our forces and each is deeply committed to the station's logo of "Service to the Fleet" and to its mission of "Enabling Warfighter Readiness."