NAS Whiting Field

Naval Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field, located near Milton, Florida, was commissioned in July 1943 during World War II to support the rapidly expanding need for naval aviators. Initially serving as a training base for primary and advanced flight instruction, the station played a crucial role in preparing pilots for carrier operations throughout the war and into the postwar era. Over the decades, NAS Whiting Field has become one of the Navy’s busiest aviation training facilities, responsible for training thousands of Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and allied student aviators annually. Today, it continues to serve as the backbone of undergraduate rotary and fixed-wing pilot training for the U.S. Navy, ensuring operational readiness for current and future generations of military aviators.