NAS Lemoore

• Commissioned in 1961: Naval Air Station Lemoore (NAS Lemoore) was officially commissioned on July 8, 1961, and has since served as the U.S. Navy’s premier master jet base on the West Coast. • Strategic Location: The base is located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, chosen for its clear weather, flat terrain, and relative isolation, ideal for safe and effective jet operations. • Home to the F/A-18: NAS Lemoore is best known as the home of the Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet strike fighter squadrons, making it the largest carrier-based strike fighter base in the U.S. Navy. • Runway Design: The base features two parallel runways, each 13,500 feet long — some of the longest in the Navy — allowing simultaneous launch and recovery operations. • Expansion for the F-35C: In the late 2010s, NAS Lemoore became the West Coast home for the new F-35C Lightning II, the Navy’s next-generation carrier-based stealth fighter. • Carrier Air Wings: NAS Lemoore supports multiple carrier air wings, including Carrier Air Wing TWO (CVW-2) and Carrier Air Wing NINE (CVW-9), with squadrons regularly deploying to aircraft carriers in the Pacific Fleet. • Training and Readiness: The station is a key site for pilot and aircrew training, including the Fleet Replacement Squadrons (VFA-122 and VFA-125), which train new Super Hornet and F-35C pilots and maintainers. • Economic Impact: NAS Lemoore is one of the largest employers in the region, supporting over 7,000 military personnel, 1,300 civilians, and thousands of dependents, significantly impacting the local economy. • Presidential Visit: In 2016, President Barack Obama landed at NAS Lemoore aboard Air Force One, highlighting the base’s importance as a major military transportation hub in California. • Community Involvement: The base is known for its deep ties with the surrounding communities, hosting annual air shows, educational tours, and charity events to foster civilian-military relations.