10 Major U.S Navy Bases Around The World
The U.S. Navy has several strategic bases around the world to support its operations and missions, especially during conflict or natural disasters. These facilities allow the American naval forces to project power beyond their territories and aid allies and partners in times of crisis.
Some major U.S naval bases in the world are discussed in this article.
1. Naval Station Norfolk
Situated in Virginia, this is the largest naval base in the world, and the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Forces Command.
It spans 4 miles of waterfront, 11 miles of pier and wharf space at Sewell’s Point on the Hampton Roads Peninsula.
It hosts 75 ships alongside 14 piers and 134 aircraft in 11 hangars.
The station has more than 55,000 active duty personnel and 17,000 Department of Defence civilians. It conducts over 100,000 flight operations annually, averaging 275 flights daily, and manages over 3,100 ship movements in the same period.
It is a hub for the U.S Atlantic Fleet and supports critical operations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Oceans. Established in 1917, it expanded during the two World Wars and is a critical component of U.S. maritime power today.
2. Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam
This naval base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, was created by the merger of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Station Pearl Harbour and the Hickam Air Force Base in 2010.
Spanning around 28,000 acres, it supports 84,000 personnel, their family and civilians. It serves as the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet and the Pacific Air Forces’ 15th Wing, enabling joint naval and air operations in the Indo-Pacific.
The Hickam Field was crucial during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, and since then has played a pivotal role in U.S. military operations in the two World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and ongoing Pacific defence missions.
The base has a large shipyard and is recognised as the main submarine base for U.S. forces in the Pacific, hosting many attack submarines.
It also supports strategic airlift, refuelling, maritime patrol, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. Joint training exercises like the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) are conducted here.
3. Naval Base San Diego
This base functions as the principal homeport for the Pacific Fleet’s Surface Ships and provides comprehensive support to both personnel and vessels.
It is a premier installation for the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet and homeport to more than 50 to 60 naval vessels, including ships like USNS Mercy and supports over 200 tenant commands, each with specialised missions.
It covers around 1600 acres of land and 326 acres of water along the San Diego Bay, with 12-13 piers and extensive facilities for ship maintenance, logistics and fleet support.
The base is located in a strategic geographical location and enables rapid deployment and support for operations in the Pacific and beyond.
It is an essential pillar of the Navy’s readiness and power projection on the West Coast.
4. Yokosuka Naval Base
This is the U.S. Navy’s biggest and most strategically important overseas naval facility, which is the headquarters for the Seventh Fleet and a hub for American operations in the Western Pacific region.
It is also the only homeport for a permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier strike group. It supports over 50 tenant commands, including Destroyer Squadron 15 and Carrier Strike Group 5.
The base also offers logistics, maintenance and administrative support for U.S. naval operations in Asia, allowing for rapid response to regional threats.
Its closeness to Tokyo Bay and extensive facilities, like ship repairs, medical and recreational services, make it vital for sustained U.S. presence and alliance commitments in the region.
5. Diego Garcia
Lying in the British Indian Ocean Territory, Diego Garcia is a British facility leased to the U.S. Navy.
It is 3,800 km from Iran, 4,700 km from Beijing, and 1,800 km from the southern coast of India, allowing a swift response to regional crises.
The base lies along major shipping lanes, handling one-third of international bulk cargo and two-thirds of oil shipments.
It accommodates B-52, B-1B, B-2 stealth bombers, and surveillance aircraft.
The port is a deepwater lagoon which anchors Maritime Prepositioning Squadron ships stocked with equipment for ground invasions.
It is also a logistics hub which stores fuel, ammunition and supplies for global operations.
6. Naval Base Kitsap
Situated on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State, Naval Base Kitsap is one of the most complex naval installations and the third largest navy base in the U.S and functions as the main host command for the Navy’s fleet throughout West Puget Sound.
The naval base spanning over 12,000 acres is home to over 70 tenant commands and more than 15,000 active-duty personnel.
It offers support for surface ships and submarines, and other nuclear-powered ships. The site is home to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and also an intermediate maintenance facility that offers drydocking and overhauling for active naval ships, and manages the inactive ship facility for decommissioned naval vessels.
The base supports Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation commands, maintaining the Navy’s technological prowess.
It also hosts the Navy’s biggest fuel depot in the continental U.S and provides deep-water ports for larger vessels.
7. Naval Base Coronado
This is the U.S. Navy’s West Coast hub that consolidates several installations, enabling the support of a vast range of missions from carrier aviation to special warfare.
It is a consortium of 9 naval installations that span from San Clemente Island to the mountains east of San Diego.
This arrangement allows the base to provide operational scope, support helicopters, aircraft carriers, SEAL Teams and an array of ashore and afloat commands.
It covers 57,000-plus acres, which makes it the largest command in the U.S. southwest, with 27,000 to 36,000 personnel.
The base can host 16 helicopter squadrons, 2 fixed-wing squadrons, 2 aircraft carriers, 4 SEAL Teams, and several logistics and expeditionary units, which make it a cornerstone for training and operations across ground, sea, air and undersea domains.
8. Naval Base Guam
Located on Guam Island in the Western Pacific, this facility is a pivotal outpost for U.S. naval and military operations in the Indo-Pacific. The base is at Apra Harbour and is close to Asia.
Hence, in case of crises in the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait and Korean Peninsula, U.S. forces can be quickly dispatched from here.
The base supports the U.S. Pacific Fleet and also the Seventh Fleet, and the Fifth Fleet when needed.
It hosts submarine tenders and also forward-deployed Los Angeles-class submarines and surface warships.
The base also supports Commander, Submarine Squadron Fifteen, Coast Guard Sector Guam, Naval Special Warfare Unit One, and over 2 dozen other tenant commands.
It has dry docks, repair and maintenance yards, munition storage, fuel farms, and a shipyard.
9. Naval Air Station Jacksonville
It is a premier master air and industrial base for the U.S. Navy, serving as a hub for anti-submarine warfare, maritime patrols and aviation training.
It is one of the biggest navy installations in the Southeast, occupying 3800 acres along the St. John’s River in northeast Florida.
The base supports over 120 tenant commands, including the Navy’s biggest aviation squadron and Patrol Squadron Thirty.
It is also a major centre for anti-submarine warfare, and hosts 7 active-duty patrol squadrons, helicopter squadrons, etc.
Training to U.S and allied pilots and air crews is also given here. The base has bombing ranges, outlying fields and robust support services for personnel and families.
10. Naval Support Activity Bahrain
This United States Navy base in the Kingdom of Bahrain is the headquarters for the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the U.S. Fifth Fleet. It covers the site of the British Royal Navy base HMS Jufair.
It was originally a British Base, HMS Jufair, which was leased to the U.S in 1950 and transferred to U.S. control after Bahrain became independent in 1971.
This is the main U.S. Naval Base in the Middle East and supports maritime security operations throughout the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
It covers 268 acres and has several administrative, recreational, logistical and medical facilities.
The base also hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters, Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, and other tenant commands.
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