Florida has a total of 18 active military bases or installations, with all branches of the armed forces represented. They also have several Coast Guard operating bases.
Here we’ll list all the major military bases in Florida, complete with their location, stationed units, and core missions.
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Navy and Marine Corps Bases in Florida
Air Force Bases in Florida
Eglin Air Force Base
Location: Valparaiso, FL
In Use: 1935-Present
Overall Mission: Eglin Air Force Base predates the founding of the Air Force as its own branch of the military and is the largest military base in Florida.
It started as a bombing and gunnery base and continues much of that mission today.
Eglin is hosted by the 96th Test Wing, which tests and evaluates weapons and aircraft systems, such as navigation and guidance systems.
Eglin is also home station to the 53rd Wing, which tests weapons systems, bombers, fighters, and unmanned aircraft.
The base also homes the 33rd Fighter Wing, flying the F-35 Lightning II.
Units Stationed:
- 96th Test Wing
- 53rd Wing
- 33rd Fighter Wing
- 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing
- 919th Special Operations Wing
- 7th Special Forces Group
- 6th Ranger Training Battalion
Official Site: https://www.eglin.af.mil/
Hurlburt Field
Location: Mary Esther, FL
In Use: 1942-Present
Overall Mission: Hurlburt Field was originally a training facility for Eglin, and is 11 miles away to the southwest. However, it was classified as its own facility in the 1950s.
Hurlburt’s key mission is training and hosting the Air Force Special Operations units.
They also host the Air Force component for USSOCOM.
Units Stationed:
- Air Force Special Operations Command
- 1st Special Operations Group
Official Site: https://www.hurlburt.af.mil/
Patrick Space Force Base
Location: Cocoa Beach, FL
In Use: 1940-Present
Overall Mission: Patrick started as a Naval base, but was transferred to the Air Force in 1948. In 2020, the facility was transferred to the new U.S. Space Force.
It is located between Cocoa and Satellite Beach.
Patrick SFB is home to Space Launch Delta 45 and controls and operates Cape Canaveral. provides space launch operations support, including launch teams and infrastructure.
It also supports Eastern Range Operations, overseeing and providing resources for flight operations for the Eastern Range.
Units Stationed:
- Space Launch Delta 45
- 45th Launch Group
- 920th Rescue Wing
- Air Force Office of Special Investigations
Official Site: https://www.patrick.spaceforce.mil/
Tyndall Air Force Base
Location: Panama City, FL
In Use: 1941-Present
Overall Mission: Tyndall AFB is located 12 miles east of Panama City.
The host unit for Tyndall is the 325th Fighter Wing, which trains pilots on the F-22 Raptor.
It hosts several other units, including the 44th Fighter Group, a USAF Reserves unit that also operates the F-22.
Units Stationed:
- 325th Fighter Wing
- 1st Air Force (AFNORTH)
- Air Force Civil Engineer Center
- 44th Fighter Group
- 801st RED HORSE Training Squadron
- Airey NCO Academy
- 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group
- 337th Air Control Squadron
Official Site: https://www.tyndall.af.mil/
MacDill Air Force Base
Location: Tampa, FL
In Use: 1939-Present
Overall Mission: MacDill AFB is located at the southmost tip of Tampa and is operated by the 6th Air Refueling Wing under USAF Air Mobility Command.
The 6th ARW provides mission support with global in-air fueling with the KC-135 Stratotanker.
MacDill is also home to the 927th Air Refueling Wing, a USAF Reserve unit that also flies the Stratotanker.
Units Stationed:
- 6th Air Refueling Wing
- 927th Air Refueling Wing
- MacDill AFB Air Transportation Function
Official Site: https://www.macdill.af.mil/
Homestead Air Reserve Base
Location: Homestead, FL
In Use: 1942-Present
Overall Mission: Homestead ARB has been destroyed by two separate hurricanes but still remains in use today.
Originally Homestead Army Air Field, the base was damaged by a hurricane in 1945 and deactivated. It was reactivated by the Air Force in 1955, where it served as a possible launching point during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In 1992, the base was once again devastated by a natural disaster, this time Hurricane Andrew, a Cat 5 storm.
Existing units were reassigned to other facilities, and the base was turned over to the USAF Reserves.
The 482nd Fighter Wing is the facility host, a combat-ready unit flying the F-16C.
The base serves as a staging area for emergency relief efforts for natural disasters,
It also routinely supports weather reconnaissance missions.
Units Stationed:
- 482nd Fighter Wing
- 93rd Fighter Squadron
- Det. 1, 125th Fighter Wing (ANG)
Official Site: https://www.homestead.afrc.af.mil/
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Army Bases in Florida
Camp Blanding Joint Training Center
Location: Starke, FL
In Use: 1940-Present
Overall Mission: Camp Blanding is a core training area for the Florida National Guard, both the Army and Air Guard.
The facility also hosts ROTC and Civil Air Patrol activities, as well as Reserve and Guard units from other states.
Along with providing training grounds for military units, Camp Blanding also houses a museum and memorial park that is open to the public. The museum features military artifacts from WWII to Operation Dessert Storm.
Units Stationed:
- 53rd Infantry Brigade
- 202nd RED HORSE Squadron
- 20th Special Forces Group Airborne
- 211th Infantry Regiment
- 111th Aviation Regiment
Official Site: N/A
Coast Guard Bases in Florida
USCG Air Station Clearwater
Location: Clearwater, FL
In Use: 1934- Present
Overall Mission: Air Station Clearwater oversees the air space and waters all around Florida and in parts of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.
They work closely with the DEA and ICE by providing air support with MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters.
The fleet of five HC-130H performs search and rescue, law enforcement, and marine environmental protection missions. They are also critical to disaster relief following hurricanes.
Units Stationed:
- Lockheed HC-130H cargo aircraft
- MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters
- Attached crews and support personnel.
Official Site: https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/District-7/Units/Air-Station-Clearwater/
USCG District 7 Headquarters
Location: Miami, FL
In Use: 1876-Present
Overall Mission: District 7 is a collection of 28 bases and operating stations throughout Florida, overseen by a central command in Miami.
The various stations are instrumental in thwarting drug trafficking through the east coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
They also work closely with INS and ICE.
Units Stationed:
- Various aircraft.
- Various watercraft.
- Attached crews and support personnel.
Official Site: https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/District-7/
Navy and Marine Corps Bases in Florida
Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island
Location: Jacksonville, FL
In Use: 1986-Present
Overall Mission: Blount Island Command has a unique, and relatively new objective when it comes to naval operations.
They host a Maritime Prepositioning Force, which loads and deploys ships with either tactical or humanitarian supplies, which then wait at sea for a destination.
This operation, performed by Blount Island Command, decreases response time for various global events.
Units Stationed:
- Marine Corps Logistics Command
Official Site: https://www.bic.marines.mil/
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Location: Pensacola, FL
In Use: 1913-Present
Overall Mission: Naval Air Station Pensacola’s main mission is training. In particular, it is the primary training base for aviation officers in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
Not surprisingly, it is also the home base of the demonstration flying team, the Blue Angels.
It also serves as a training facility for various aerospace medicine personnel, enlisted aviation personnel, and information and cryptologic technology ratings.
NAS Pensacola is considered one of the largest military bases in Florida from a geographical perspective.
Units Stationed:
- Naval Aviation Schools Command
- Naval Air Technical Training Center
- Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21
- Marine Aviation Training Support Group 23
- Marine Aviation Training Support Group 42
- The Blue Angels
- Naval Education Training Command Headquarters
- 479th Flying Training Group
- 350th Civil Affairs Command
Official Site: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-Pensacola/
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Location: Jacksonville, FL
In Use: 1940-Present
Overall Mission: NAS Jacksonville is a key hub for US naval operations in the Gulf of Mexico and other areas of the American Southeast.
It is also the operating base for the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast.
The base boasts of over 100 full time operation aircraft, including P-8A Poseidon, P-3C Orion, C-40 Clipper, C-130T Hercules, and MH-60R Romeo helicopters.
NAS Jacksonville is also a core training facility for numerous certifications for both pilots and ground crews. It also hosts the Jacksonville Naval Hospital
Units Stationed:
- VP-30 Patrol Squadron
- Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11
- Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet
- Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region Eight
- Fleet Logistics Support Wing
- Maritime Support Wing
- Coastal Riverine Squadron 10
- Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
- Naval Air Reserve / Navy Operational Support Center Jacksonville
- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 14
- Navy Oceanographic Anti-Submarine Warfare Detachment (NOAD)
- Aircraft Carrier Tactical Support Center
Official Site: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-Jacksonville/
Naval Air Station Key West
Location: Key West, FL
In Use: 1917-Present
Overall Mission: The NAS Key West in its current form was established in 1940, but Naval presence and operations in the area date back to 1832.
The base currently serves as an air-to-air training and support facility for fighter aircraft from all of the U.S. Armed Forces, thanks to the excellent flying conditions.
The facility offers a P5 Combat Training System/Tactical Combat Training System (P5CTS/TCTS)[4] which tracks and records aerial maneuvers.
It also performs monitoring and surveillance of the air and sea around the area and is rated as one of the best military bases in Florida to serve at.
Units Stationed:
- 111th Composite Fighter Squadron
- 106th Strike Fighter Squadron
- Joint Interagency Task Force South
- U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West
- Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Key West
- U.S. Army Special Forces Underwater Training School
- Atlantic Targets and Marine Operations Detachment Key West
Official Site: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-Key-West/
Naval Station Mayport
Location: Mayport, FL
In Use: 1942-Present
Overall Mission: Mayport Navy Base is the dedicated home port for 22 ships, including a destroyer group, and an LCS squadron.
It has the ability to homeport up to 35 ships in total.
It is a key part of the East Coast’s readiness and deployment facilities.
It also hosts 3 helicopter squadrons.
Units Stationed:
- Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two
- Naval Surface Squadron Fourteen
- Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group
- USS Philippine Sea
- USCGC Valiant
- HSM-40 Airwolves
- HSM-46 Grandmasters
- HSM-48 Vipers
- Crew and support personnel for the above.
Official Site: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NS-Mayport/
Naval Air Station Whiting Field
Location: Milton, FL
In Use: 1943-Present
Overall Mission: NAS Whiting Field is one of the Navy’s two primary undergraduate pilot training bases for both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.
It also provides support and training for several other branches of the military, including the Marines and Coast Guard.
Aircraft used in training include the T-6 Texan II and TH-57 helicopter.
Units Stationed:
- Training Air Wing FIVE
- CNATRA Maintenance Detachment Whiting Field
- Center for Aviation Technical Training Detachment Whiting Field
Official Site: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-Whiting-Field/
Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
In Use: 1966-Present
Overall Mission: AUTEC, or the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center, is a research base headquartered in West Palm Beach, but many of its facilities are off the coast in the Bahamas.
It comprises three testing ranges that test weaponry, stealth/acoustics, and fleet readiness.
Fleet readiness is one of its primary functions and regularly tests submarine officers and crews.
It also hosts several tracking stations for water, deep water, and in-air weapons tracking.
Units Stationed:
- AUTEC
- AUTEC Weapons Range
- EWTS
Official Site: https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/What-We-Do/Detachments/AUTEC/
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Naval Support Activity Orlando
Location: Orlando, FL
In Use: 1941-Present
Overall Mission: NSA Orlando is the home of the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division.
The center develops training systems for many military programs. NSA Orland supports a wide variety of DoD activities in Central Florida, focusing on simulator training.
Units Stationed:
- Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division
- U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training & Instrumentation
Official Site: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NSA-Orlando/
Naval Support Activity Panama City
Location: Panama City, FL
In Use: 1945-Present
Overall Mission: NSA Panama City is a research and development, test and evaluation facility.
It hosts the Naval Surface Warfare Center, which is a research and development facility specializing in developing strategic technologies for surface warfare.
It tests and trains Navy divers, and provides training for Recon Marines, Army Engineer divers, and Coast Guard divers.
Units Stationed:
- Naval Surface Warfare Center – Panama City Division
- Center for Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Diving
- Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center
- Navy Experimental Diving Unit
- Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast
- Naval Criminal Investigative Service
- Fleet Logistics Center
- Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station
- Defense Logistics Agency, Panama City
- U.S. Coast Guard Station Panama City
Official Site: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NSA-Panama-City/
Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.
Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.
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