NAS Oceana is the Navy’s East Coast Master Jet Base and one of the anchor facilities for U.S. naval aviation. The base hosts a very diverse mission space along with diverse air operations. Located at the home of the F/A-18 Super Hornets, the core mission of NAS Oceana is to support a Shore-Based Readiness Integrator through which the operational readiness of its forces is ensured through comprehensive support in air, amphibious, and sea operations.
NAS Oceana operates 24/7/365 to support the flight operation requirements for aircraft assigned to Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic (CSFWL), Commander, Fleet Logistics Support Wing (CFLSW), and Commander, Tactical Support Wing (CTSW), among others. The base, including Dam Neck Annex and Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress, is home to about 10,500 active Navy personnel, 10,000 family members, and 4,500 civilian personnel, making it the second-largest employer in Virginia Beach.
NAS Oceana’s flight line, known as Apollo Soucek Field since 1972, hosts 17 aviation squadrons, including 16 operating the F/A-18 Super Hornet comprising the Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic. Only VFA-106 and VFC-12 are resident at Oceana full time; the remaining squadrons deploy nine months to aircraft carriers with four to six months at sea. In addition, VR-56, the “Globemasters,” flying the C-40A Clipper, forward-base operational missions at Oceana.
NAS Oceana supports approximately 250,000 visitors every year during the NAS Oceana Air Show. This air show is a military-civil aviation event that makes it the largest public outreach event for the Navy. Every year, it also hosts the annual Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Lab Learning Day by hosting thousands of 5th-grade students from schools within the locality to see the air performances and conduct practical lessons in STEM.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the USS Harry S. Truman welcomed the Italian Navy aboard for a tour of the vessel pointer to continuing international cooperation afloat. Capt. Thomas Lovett, Chief of Staff of Carrier Strike Group Eight (CSG 8), met with Capt. Marco Felici of the Italian Navy. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is currently underway in the Atlantic Ocean where it is conducting integrated naval warfighting training, with a focus on Composite Unit Training Exercises, which are designed to test and improve the combat readiness of the carrier strike group.
On the other side, the Royal Australian Air Force intends to arm its Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets with Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missiles under a series of tests lined up in the country. That is part of the Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment SCIFiRE-under a recent agreement between the U.S. and Australia in developing air-launched hypersonic cruise missile capabilities. The U.S. Government Accountability Office did cite “test range availability and limitations” as one of the most significant challenges facing hypersonic programs.
It follows, therefore, that Australia’s participation in the HACM project forms part of a strategic interest in countering regional threats. The HACM will be fitted into the RAAF Super Hornets to extend its long-range strike capability and make it one of the most potent forces in the region.
The US Air Force has targeted at least limited operational capability with HACM by 2027, but the GAO signals delays due to its developmental flight testing schedule. The HACM, which was designed by Raytheon under contract with the Air Force, is basic to developing the technological advantage that the US and Australia are seeking over hypersonic weapons, for which global competition is growing at a rapid rate.