Navy Proposes Large Aircraft Hangar at NAS Whidbey Island

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island took a significant step toward expanding its maintenance infrastructure when the Navy released a draft environmental assessment on Dec. 24 proposing a new 92,000 square foot aircraft maintenance hangar near the Ault Field flight line. The proposal calls for construction beginning in 2027 with an estimated two year build period and a projected cost of about $200 million, according to Base Public Affairs Officer Mike Welding.

If built, the hangar would be capable of servicing eight EA 18G Growlers at once with an annual throughput of roughly 32 aircraft. That capacity would mark a substantial increase over the current six bay aircraft hangar which also supports other squadrons. The draft notes that the present arrangement creates a “lack of certainty on the quantity of assigned space” and constrains efforts to keep aircraft in a constant state of operational readiness.

The proposed facility would include a new taxiway to the flight line and a parking lot. The site is located on federally owned property bounded by Randolph Street to the north, Charles Porter Avenue to the south and Kitty Hawk Road to the east. The location sits adjacent to several existing hangars on base, concentrating maintenance activity in the Ault Field area.

For Island County residents the proposal carries a mix of local and strategic consequences. Construction could bring temporary construction jobs and spending into Oak Harbor and surrounding communities, while the larger maintenance footprint may increase vehicle traffic on base access roads and change patterns of noise and operations near the flight line. The environmental assessment process will examine potential impacts on air quality, stormwater, traffic and community noise as part of its review.

The draft assessment is available online at pacific.navfac.navy.mil/NWNEPA/ and hard copies are available at the Oak Harbor Library. The public comment period closes on Jan. 11 and comments may be mailed to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Northwest. Community input during the review will shape mitigation measures and scheduling as the project moves forward.