from staff
Naval Air Station Jacksonville broke ground today on a new 277,000 square-foot hangar. The $123-plus million facility will provide space for five P-3C “Orion” squadrons and one C-130 “Hercules” logistics squadron. Overall, the hangar will house approximately 33 P-3 aircraft and four C-130 aircraft and employ more than 1,600 personnel.
The state-of-the-art hangar is part of the Base Realignment and Closure initiative to bring additional squadrons to NAS Jacksonville following the closure of NAS Brunswick in Maine. It will consolidate seven aircraft squadrons into one hangar. This consolidation will reduce the footprint of the hangar and reduce the energy costs associated with operating the facility. The project also includes aircraft apron paving, security fencing and gates, pedestrian circulation and parking.
The hangar will service the U.S. Navy Maritime Aviation and Fleet Logistics Communities and its design will allow modifications to accommodate future aircraft slated to eventually replace the P-3. M.A. Mortenson Construction Company is building the hangar and it will be managed by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE). The hangar is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2009, in time for the first P-3 squadron from NAS Brunswick to relocate to Jacksonville.
Other facts about the project:
• The contract was awarded on Sept. 29 of last year, four months ahead of schedule.
• The contract value has been broken into two phases ($65.92 million and $57.6 million)
• There will be approximately 23 acres of concrete apron parking
• Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection requirements have been incorporated into the hangar’s design
• It will be the largest facility in NAVFAC SE