Eglin Air Force Base - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

base located approximately 3 miles (5 kilometers) southwest of Valparaiso, Florida

Valparaiso, Florida

Valparaiso is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, in the United States, and it is named after the Chilean city of Valparaiso. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,408. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 6,336...

in Okaloosa County.

The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Air Base Wing
96th Air Base Wing
The 96th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Air Armament Center. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida...

(96 ABW) assigned to the Air Force Materiel Command

Air Force Materiel Command

Air Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....

Air Armament Center

The Air Armament Center is responsible for development, acquisition, testing, and deployment of all air-delivered weapons for the U.S. Air Force...

. The 96 ABW supports the Air Armament Center and other tenant units of the installation with traditional military services as well as all the services of a small city, to include civil engineering, personnel, logistics, communications, computer, medical, security.

Eglin AFB was established in 1935 as the Valparaiso Bombing and Gunnery Base. It is named in honor of Lieutenant Colonel

Lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

Frederick I. Eglin (1891–1937), who was killed in a crash of his Northrop A-17 pursuit aircraft on a flight from Langley to Maxwell Field

Maxwell Field

Maxwell Field was the football stadium located behind the former location of Louisville Male High School, 911 S. Brook St., Louisville, Kentucky, 40203 which was bounded by the streets of Brook, Breckinridge, Floyd, and Caldwell streets in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1984 a double murder known locally...

, Alabama

Alabama

Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...

. The 96th Air Base Wing is commanded by Colonel Sal M. Nodjomian. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Ben Caro.

Overview

Eglin is the home of the Air Armament Center

Air Armament Center

The Air Armament Center is responsible for development, acquisition, testing, and deployment of all air-delivered weapons for the U.S. Air Force...

(AAC) and is one of three product centers in the Air Force Materiel Command

Air Force Materiel Command

Air Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....

(AFMC). Serving as the focal point for all Air Force armaments, the AAC is the center responsible for the development, acquisition, testing, deployment and sustainment of all air-delivered weapons.

The center plans, directs and conducts test and evaluation of U.S. and allied air armament, navigation and guidance systems, and command and control systems and supports the largest single base mobility commitment in the Air Force. AAC accomplishes its mission through three components – the 46th Test Wing

46th Test Wing

The 46th Test Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing operates as tenant unit at Holloman AFB, NM.-Mission:...

, 96th Air Base Wing, and the 308th Armament Systems Wing.

AAC is the focal point for the acquisition of the world's most advanced armament products. The center engages in scientific research, system management, production, operational performance, business management, requirements definition, customer and engineering support, technology planning, materiel identification, and field support activities.

Some of the major programs managed by the center include the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile, High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile, HARM Targeting System, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, Joint Direct Attack Munition, Miniature Air Launched Decoy, Sensor Fuzed Weapon and the Small Diameter Bomb.

Units

The host wing at Eglin is the 96th Air Base Wing

96th Air Base Wing

The 96th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Air Armament Center. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida...

(96 ABW) whose mission consists of supporting the Air Armament Center and the myriad of tenant commands and associate units with traditional military services as well as all the services of a small city, to include civil engineering, personnel, logistics, communications, computer, medical, security, and all other host services. Critical to the success of Eglin’s mission, the 96th Air Base Wing provides a large number of base operating support functions.

The residential portion of the base is a census-designated place

Census-designated place

A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...

; its population was 8,082 at the 2000 census

United States Census, 2000

The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...

. Eglin Air Force Base has 2,359 military family housing units. Unmarried junior enlisted members generally live in one of Eglin’s seven dormitories located near the dining hall, chapel, base gym, Enlisted Club and bus lines on base. Each individual unit generally handles dormitory assignments. Bachelor Officer Quarters are not available. Several units and one dormitory are currently being renovated in 2011. The base covers 463,128 acres (1,874.2 km²).

Major units

Air Armament Center
Air Armament Center
The Air Armament Center is responsible for development, acquisition, testing, and deployment of all air-delivered weapons for the U.S. Air Force...

(AAC)

The center plans, directs and conducts test and evaluation of U.S. and allied air armament, navigation and guidance systems, and command and control systems and supports the largest single base mobility commitment in the Air Force. It operates two Air Force installations, providing host support not only to Eglin, but also Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

AAC accomplishes its mission through four components:

Armament Product Directorate (Eglin AFB, FL)
46th Test Wing (Eglin AFB, FL)
96th Air Base Wing (Eglin AFB, FL)
377th Air Base Wing (Kirtland AFB, NM)

46th Test Wing
46th Test Wing
The 46th Test Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing operates as tenant unit at Holloman AFB, NM.-Mission:...

(46 TW)

The 46 TW is the test and evaluation center for Air Force air-delivered weapons, navigation and guidance systems, Command and Control (C2) systems, and Air Force Special Operations Command systems. The Eglin Gulf Test Range provides approximately 130000 square miles (336,698.5 km²) of over water airspace.

96th Air Base Wing
96th Air Base Wing
The 96th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Air Armament Center. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida...

(96 ABW)

The 96 ABW supports the Air Armament Center and other tenant units of the installation with traditional military services as well as all the services of a small city, to include civil engineering, personnel, logistics, communications, computer, medical, security.

33d Fighter Wing
33d Fighter Wing
The 33d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida where it is a tenant unit....

(33 FW) Tail Code: "EG"
The 33d FW “Nomads” were the largest tenant combat unit at Eglin, as well as the premier air-to-air combat unit of the Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....

(ACC). With two F-15C/D squadrons and an air control squadron, the wing’s mission was to deploy worldwide and provide air superiority and air control. First established as the 33d Pursuit Group, the wing’s contribution to tactical airpower during its 50-year history has been significant with participation in campaigns around the world, while flying various fighter aircraft. Reactivated at Eglin on 1 April 1965 with F-4C Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

s, the wing operated, successively, F-4D and E models into the 1970s before transitioning to the F-15 Eagle. As of 1 October 2009, the 33d FW transitioned to a training wing for the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) under Air Education and Training Command. The final F-15s assigned to the 33d departed the base in September 2009. As the first of its kind in the Department of Defense, the joint wing is responsible for F-35 A/B/C (Joint Strike Fighter) pilot and maintainer training for the Marine Corps, the Navy and the Air Force. The first of 59 F-35s arrived from Fort Worth, Texas on 14 July 2011.
58th Fighter Squadron
58th Fighter Squadron
The 58th Fighter Squadron is part of the 33d Fighter Wing, a joint graduate flying and maintenance training wing for the F-35A, B, and C, organized under Air Education and Training Command's 19th Air Force, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida...

(Blue tail stripe)
60th Fighter Squadron
60th Fighter Squadron
The 60th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron. It was last assigned to the 33d Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida...

(Red tail stripe)

Inactive Navy squadron VF-101

VF-101

Fighter Squadron 101, also known as VF-101 and the Grim Reapers, was a United States Navy F-14 Fleet Replacement Squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana until disestablishment in 2005...

, the "Grim Reapers", most recently flying F-14 Tomcat

F-14 Tomcat

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...

s, is currently slated for reactivation and redesignation as Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VFA-101) in 2013 as a subordinate squadron of the 33d Fighter Wing

33d Fighter Wing

The 33d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida where it is a tenant unit....

, a joint USAF-USN-USMC organization at Eglin. In this capacity, VFA-101 will serve as the Fleet Replacement Squadron for the U.S. Navy's F-35C Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...

, the aircraft carrier-capable variant of the F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II

Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

53d Wing
53d Wing
The 53d Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Mission:The 53d Wing serves as the focal point for the Combat Air Forces in electronic warfare, armament and avionics, chemical defense, reconnaissance, and aircrew training devices...

(53 WG)

The 53 WG is headquartered at Eglin and serves as the Air Force’s focal point for operational test and evaluation of armament and avionics, aircrew training devices, chemical defense, aerial reconnaissance improvements, electronic warfare systems, and is responsible for the QF-4 Phantom II

F-4 Phantom II

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) program and subscale drone programs (located at Tyndall Air Force Base

Tyndall Air Force Base

Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...

, Florida). The wing tests every fighter, bomber, unmanned aerial vehicle, and associated weapon system in the Air Force inventory. The wing reports to the USAF Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...

, Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

, a Direct Reporting Unit (DRU) to Headquarters, Air Combat Command

Air Combat Command

Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....

(ACC).

49th Test and Evaluation Squadron
49th Test and Evaluation Squadron
The 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 53d Wing, based at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.-Mission:...

(a squadron attached to the 53d Wing but located at Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...

, Louisiana)
The squadron plans, executes and reports ACC's weapon system evaluation programs for bombers (B-52, B-1
B-1 Lancer
The Rockwell B-1 LancerThe name "Lancer" is only applied to the B-1B version, after the program was revived. is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force...

and B-2
B-2 Spirit
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is an American heavy bomber with low observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses and deploy both conventional and nuclear weapons. The bomber has a crew of two and can drop up to eighty -class JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or sixteen ...

) and nuclear-capable fighters (F-15E Strike Eagle
F-15E Strike Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force F-15E Strike...

and F-16). These evaluations include operational effectiveness and suitability, command and control, performance of aircraft hardware and software systems, employment tactics, and accuracy and reliability of associated precision weapons. These weapons include air-launched cruise missiles, standoff missiles, and gravity bombs. Results and conclusions support acquisition decisions and development of war plans. The unit also performs operational testing on new systems and tactics development for the B-52.

308th Armament Systems Wing
308th Armament Systems Wing
The United States Air Force's 308th Armament Systems Wing is a non-flying wing based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Overview:The wing was activated in 2004 to design, develop, field and maintain a family of air-to-ground munitions that enhance warfighter strike capabilities.The mission of the...

(308 ASW)

A joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy organization responsible for cradle-to-grave management of air dominance weapon system programs equipping warfighters with strike weapons to fight and win decisively.

The mission of the 308 ASW is to equip warfighters with strike weapons to fight and win decisively. The wing designs, develops, produces, fields, and sustains a family of air-to-ground munitions, enhancing warfighter capabilities (both U.S. and Allies) in defeating a spectrum of enemy targets.

AFRL Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW)

AFRL/RW develops, demonstrates, and transitions science and technology for air-launched munitions for defeating ground fixed, mobile/relocatable, air and space targets to assure pre-eminence of U.S. air and space forces. The directorate conducts basic research, exploratory development, and advanced development and demonstrations. It also participates in programs focused on technology transfer, dual-use technology and small business development. The directorate is dedicated to providing the Air Force with a strong revolutionary and evolutionary technology base upon which future air-delivered munitions can be developed to neutralize potential threats to the United States.

7th Special Forces Group
7th Special Forces Group (United States)
The 7th Special Forces Group, an operational unit of the United States Army Special Forces, was activated on 20 May 1960. It was reorganized from the 77th Special Forces Group, which was also stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Its purpose is to conduct guerrilla operations and train friendly...

(7th SFG)

In 2011, the United States Army's

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

7th Special Forces Group relocated to a newly constructed cantonment on the Eglin Air Force Base reservation from Fort Bragg, as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round

Base Realignment and Closure, 2005

The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...

realigning Fort Bragg. It is tasked with conducting special operations in Latin America

Latin America

Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...

Other units

919th Special Operations Wing
919th Special Operations Wing
The 919th Special Operations Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command wing of the United States Air Force, operationally-gained by the Air Force Special Operations Command and based at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3 / Duke Field, Florida.-Mission:The 919 SOW provides and maintains the MC-130E Combat...

(919 SOW)

The 919 SOW, located about five miles (8 kilometers) south of Crestview and 20 miles (32.2 km) from Eglin main at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3 (Duke Field

Duke Field

Duke Field , also known as Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3, is a military airport located three miles south of the central business district of Crestview, in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States-Units:...

) and is the only special operations wing in the Air Force Reserve Command

Air Force Reserve Command

The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....

(AFRC). In wartime or a contingency, the 919 SOW reports to Air Force Special Operations Command

Air Force Special Operations Command

Air Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...

(AFSOC) at Hurlburt Field

Hurlburt Field

Hurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...

, Florida, its gaining major command.

20th Space Control Squadron
20th Space Control Squadron
The United States Air Force's 20th Space Control Squadron is a space control unit located at Eglin AFB, Florida.-Mission:The mission of the 20th Space Control Squadron is to detect, track, identify, and report near earth and deep space objects in earth's orbit, and provide space object...

(20 SCS)

The mission of the 20 SCS is to detect, track, identify, and report near earth and deep space objects in earth’s orbit, and provide space object identification data in support of United States Strategic Command

United States Strategic Command

United States Strategic Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense . The Command, including components, employs more than 2,700 people, representing all four services, including DoD civilians and contractors, who oversee the command's operationally...

’s space control mission. A unit of the Air Force Space Command

Air Force Space Command

Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....

(AFSPC), the men and women of the 20th SCS operate and maintain the AN/FPS-85 radar, the Air Force’s only phased-array radar dedicated to tracking earth-orbiting objects.

6th Ranger Training Battalion
Ranger School
The United States Army Ranger School is an intense 61-day combat leadership course oriented towards small-unit tactics. It has been called the "toughest combat course in the world" and "is the most physically and mentally demanding leadership school the Army has to offer". The course is conducted...

(6th RTB)

Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #6 (Biancur Field) is the site of Camp James E. Rudder

James Earl Rudder

James Earl Rudder was a United States Army Major General, Texas Land Commissioner, and President of Texas A&M University.-Early life:...

and the home of the U. S. Army’s 6th Ranger Training Battalion. The 6th RTB conducts the final phase of the U.S. Army Ranger Course

Ranger School

The United States Army Ranger School is an intense 61-day combat leadership course oriented towards small-unit tactics. It has been called the "toughest combat course in the world" and "is the most physically and mentally demanding leadership school the Army has to offer". The course is conducted...

. The entire course is 61 days long and is divided into three phases. Each phase is conducted at different geographical and environmental locations. Its mission at Eglin is to expose Ranger students to a fast-paced field training exercise during an 18-day cycle at Eglin.

Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD
Bomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...

)

The Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD) is a Navy-managed command, jointly staffed by Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps personnel. NAVSCOLEOD had its official ribbon cutting on the new consolidated training facility in April 1999.

The Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team (JFIIT)

This is a subordinate, functional command of U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), tasked with improving the integration, interoperability, and effectiveness of Joint fires.

USJFCOM established JFIIT in February 2005 to provide assistance to Joint force commanders and Service headquarters in planning, coordinating, and executing Joint fires at the tactical level. JFIIT's 120-member team is made up of members from all four Services and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians with contractor support.

AFOTEC Det 2

The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center stood up Detachment 2 at Eglin to meet the growing demand to provide realistic operational testing for new and modified weapon systems. Since then, Detachment 2 has partnered with the warfighter and the developmental test community to provide the most thorough and rigorous operational test programs found anywhere in the world.

728th Air Control Squadron

Largest Air Control Squadron in the Air Force.

Base Railroad

Col. George P. Kendrick, chief of installations of the Air Proving command, announced on 11 August 1949, that negotiations were underway between the U .S. Air Force and the chief of the U. S. engineers relative to salvaging railroad materials at Camp Claiborne and Camp Polk, Louisiana, the Playground News

Northwest Florida Daily News

The Northwest Florida Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. It was founded in 1946 and is one of 65 newspapers owned by Freedom Communications...

, Fort Walton, Florida, reported on 18 August 1949. Kendrick stated that Third Army headquarters had indicated that the 44th Engineers Construction battalion, now in training at Fort Bragg

Fort Bragg (North Carolina)

Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...

, North Carolina, would do the work on moving the railroad materials to the new location. Although no official date had been set, an unofficial report gave 15 November as an approximate arrival date for the engineer battalion.

The Eglin Air Force Base railroad was first constructed from an interchange with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad at Mossy Head, Florida down to the main base complex, with spurs to Auxiliary Fields 1

Wagner Field

Wagner Field, Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field #1, is a satellite airfield located northeast of the Main Base in Walton County, Florida. The site is notable as the training location for the Doolittle Raiders, and the test location for the Credible Sport YMC-130H STOL hostage rescue...

and 2, the ammunition dump, and other parts of the military reservation, with a total of 45 miles (72.4 km) of track. It was constructed with materials salvaged from the Claiborne and Polk Railroad, a 43 miles (69.2 km) line between the two camps, abandoned in 1945. The line, nicknamed the "B & F" (for back and forth), began operation on 1 February 1952 as part of the transportation division, Air Proving Ground Command, and utilised three ALCO RSD-1

ALCO RSD-1

The ALCO RSD-1 was a diesel-electric locomotive built by American Locomotive Company . This model was a road switcher type rated at and rode on three-axle trucks, having a C-C wheel arrangement...

military diesel-electric locomotives. Its first yard manager was Shelby White.

Part of the base main track and spur to the ammunition dump were realigned in 1956 with the construction of the 12000 feet (3,657.6 m) runway 32/14.

Initial construction of a railroad line into the region had been discussed as early as 1927 as part of the Choctawhatchee and Northern Railroad

Choctawhatchee and Northern Railroad

The Choctawhatchee and Northern Railroad was one of many proposed railroad projects that never made it beyond the planning stage, this one in the northwest Florida Panhandle...

, though military-use proposals didn't come forward until 1941. German POWs were used in clearing and grading the alignment during World War II. There was one commercial customer served by the line, a lumber pulp yard at Niceville

Niceville, Florida

Niceville is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States, located close to Eglin Air Force Base. It originally began with the name Valparaiso, then to separate itself from the neighboring town took the unofficial name of Boggy. Upon incorporation as an official city, the name was changed to...

which is now community athletic fields. The line was later abandoned in the late 1970s and the southern end, west of State Road 285, pulled up by the mid 1980s. Much of the tracks remain in place from the former L&N (now CSX

CSX Transportation

CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...

) interchange to just south of Bob Sikes Road, about 11 miles (17.7 km) long, albeit overgrown. Building 538, formerly the two-track, four-engine capacity engine house, serves as the vehicle maintenance corrosion control shop in 2009. Two of its four oversize doors have been walled closed. The (by then) four RSD-1 diesels were donated to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was founded as a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1960 by Paul H. Merriman and Robert M. Soule, Jr...

. One authoritative source on Florida railroad history has reported that steam was operated on the neophyte base railroad, but no local accounts support this.

Previous Names

Established as Valparaiso Bombing and Gunnery Base, 14 June 1935

(spelling changed on 1 February 1937 from "Valparaiso" to "Valpariso" and on 1 March 1937 back to "Valparaiso")

Eglin Field, 4 August 1937
Eglin Field Military Reservation, 1 October 1940
Eglin Field, 28 December 1944
Eglin Air Force Base, 24 June 1948–present

Major Commands to which assigned

Air Corps Training Center, 9 June 1935 – 27 August 1940
Southeast Air Corps Training Center, 27 August 1940 – 1 April 1942
AAF Proving Ground Command, 1 April 1942 – 1 June 1945
AAF Center, 1 June 1945 – 8 March 1946
AAF Proving Ground Command, 8 March 1946 -10 July 1946
Air Proving Ground Command, 10 July 1946 – 20 January 1948
Air Materiel Command, 20 January 1948 – 1 June 1948
Air Proving Ground, 1 June 1948 – 20 December 1951
Air Proving Ground Command, 20 December 1951 – 1 December 1957
Air Research and Development Command, 1 December 1957 – 1 April 1961
Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command is a former United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland...

, 1 April 1961 – 1 July 1992
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....

, 1 July 1992–present

Major units assigned

AAAF Proving Ground Command, 4 January 1942-30 June 1946
3201st Air Base Group, 1 July 1948-4 February 1958
Air Proving Ground Command (later Armament Division and Test Center; Air Armament Center), 1 July 1948–present
3206th Support Wing, 1 July 1953-20 February 1964
17th Bombardment Wing, 1 April 1955-25 June 1958
34th Bomb Squadron
34th Bomb Squadron
The 34th Bomb Squadron is part of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It operates B-1 Lancer aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.-Mission:...

, 1 April 1955-25 June 1958f

37th Bomb Squadron
37th Bomb Squadron
The 37th Bomb Squadron is part of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It operates B-1 Lancer aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.-History:...

, 1 April 1955-25 June 1958
4135th Strategic Wing, 1 December 1958-1 February 1963
335th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 1 May 1960-22 November 1961
USAF Special Air Warfire Center, 27 April 1962-1 July 1974
39th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963-25 February 1965
33d Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 April 1965–present

Eglin Auxiliary fields

A number of auxiliary fields were constructed on the Eglin reservation during World War II, many of which are still in service in various roles, either in support of flight operations or special test activities.

Work on Auxiliary Field 1 began 27 November 1940. Auxiliary Field 1 is named Wagner Field
Wagner Field
Wagner Field, Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field #1, is a satellite airfield located northeast of the Main Base in Walton County, Florida. The site is notable as the training location for the Doolittle Raiders, and the test location for the Credible Sport YMC-130H STOL hostage rescue...

for Maj. Walter J. Wagner, former commanding officer for the 1st Proving Ground, Eglin Field, who was killed 10 October 1943 in the crash of AT-6C-NT Texan, 41-32187, c/n 88-9677, at Auxiliary Field 2. Much Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...

and Operation Credible Sport
Operation Credible Sport
Operation Credible Sport was a joint project of the United States military in the second half of 1980 to prepare for a second rescue attempt of the hostages held in Iran using a Lockheed C-130 Hercules airlifter modified with rocket engines...

training took place here. It is also known as Site C-5. Range C-72 extends SE from Wagner Field.
Auxiliary Field 2 is named Pierce Field for Lt. Col. George E. Pierce, killed 19 January 1942 while piloting B-25C-1 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...

,41-13118, which crashed into the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...

2 miles (3.2 km) S of Destin, Florida
Destin, Florida
Destin is a city located in Okaloosa County, Florida. It is a principal city of the Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.Located on Florida's Emerald Coast, Destin is known for its white beaches and emerald green waters...

. Joe Baugher
Joe Baugher
Joseph F. Baugher is a retired physicist, software engineer, and author, who has also written articles on aviation.He graduated from Gettysburg College in 1963 and studied physics under Philip J. Bray at Brown University, receiving a Ph.D...

cites date of 19 October 1942 for loss. It is also known as Site C-3. Between November 1966 and 1970, it was the site of the 560th Civil Engineering Squadron, also known as the Civil Engineering Field Activities Center, for the training of RED HORSE
Red Horse
Red Horse may refer to:*Red Horse , an album and folk group formed by Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, and Lucy Kaplansky*The Red Horse, a novel by Eugenio Corti*Red Horse Beer, a beer brewed in the Philippines...

personnel.
Auxiliary Field 3 is named Duke Field
Duke Field
Duke Field , also known as Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3, is a military airport located three miles south of the central business district of Crestview, in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States-Units:...

for 1st Lt Robert L. Duke, killed in the crash of Curtiss A-25A-20-CS Shrike
SB2C Helldiver
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a carrier-based dive bomber aircraft produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service. Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced...

, 42-79823, near Spencer, Tennessee
Spencer, Tennessee
Spencer is a town in Van Buren County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,713 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-Geography:...

, on 29 December 1943. He was assigned as Assistant A-3 of Eglin Field. Used as the set for the fictional 918th Bomb Group in the 1949 film Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King ...

. Field 3 was long-associated with drone operations of the 3200th and 3205th Drone Groups. Aircraft were "sanitized" (stripped of all identification) here for the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...

of Cuba.
Auxiliary Field 4 is named Peel Field for 2nd Lt. Garland O. Peel Jr., who died in the take-off crash of Martin B-12AM
Martin B-10
The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to go into regular use by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934...

, 33-262, of the 387th School Squadron, 2 January 1942, when he suffered engine failure. He was a gunnery school instructor at Eglin. Peel Field was utilized for the filming of scenes for the 1944 film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Thirty Seconds over Tokyo
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is a 1944 MGM war film. It is based on the true story of America's first retaliatory air strike against Japan four months after the December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The movie was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Sam Zimbalist. The screenplay by...

. Wartime temporary housing for NCOs located here was razed in the 1960s. In the early 1960s, while in a moribund state, one of the runways was used as an unofficial auto drag strip by local civilians. The ramp of the non-flight-rated facility now serves as a vehicle park for aircraft and armor after being expended as targets on the Eglin ranges.
Auxiliary Field 5 is named Piccolo Field for Capt. Anthony D. Piccolo, who died in the crash of AT-6A-NT Texan
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...

, 41-16372, on 6 October 1942. Piccolo was the commanding officer of the 386th Single Engine Gunnery Training Squadron at Eglin. Today, the area is due north of Field Four and serves as a microwave station. A 60-foot radar antenna was installed here in April 1961. On most base maps, it is identified as Site C-4. Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...

training was conducted here.
Auxiliary Field 6 is named Biancur Field for 1st Lt. Andrew Biancur, a test pilot of the Medium Bombardment Section of the 1st Proving Ground Group, killed 8 January 1944 in the crash of YP-61-NO Black Widow
P-61 Black Widow
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first operational U.S. military aircraft designed specifically for night interception of aircraft, and was the first aircraft specifically designed to use radar. It was an all-metal, twin-engine, twin-boom design developed during World War II...

, 41-18883, c/n 711, at Eglin Field. The U.S. Army Ranger facility Camp Rudder
Camp Rudder
Camp James E. Rudder is host to the third and final phase of a nine week training course, dubbed the "swamp phase", of the U.S. Army Ranger School...

is located here. It is designated Site B-6. The X-43A-LS low-speed demonstrator underwent testing out of Auxiliary Field 6 in November 2003.
Auxiliary Field 7 is named Epler Field for Col. Robin E. Epler, deputy commander (Technical) of the Air Proving Ground Command, Eglin Field, Florida, killed 28 January 1944 in the crash of A-20G-10-DO Havoc, 42-54016, one mile (1.6 km) NE of Crestview, Florida
Crestview, Florida
Crestview is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. Crestview’s name was chosen because of its location on the peak of a long woodland range between the Yellow and Shoal rivers which flow almost parallel on the east and west side of the City....

. It is designated Site B-12.
Auxiliary Field 8 is named Baldsiefen Field for 2nd Lt. Richard Edward Baldsiefen, a gunnery instructor at Eglin, killed 4 March 1942 along with Lt. John W. Smith, in the crash of AT-6A-NA Texan, 41-528, which came down at Auxiliary Field 4. It is designated Site C-52C.
Auxiliary Field 9 is named Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...

for Lt. Donald Wilson Hurlburt, killed 1 October 1943 when his Lockheed
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...

AT-18-LO Hudson gunnery trainer, 42-55591, c/n 414-7313, crashed during take-off at Eglin. After flying B-17 combat missions from Great Britain and receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...

, Hurlburt was assigned in mid-1943 to the First Proving Ground Electronics Test Unit at Eglin Field. Field 9 was named in his honor by base commander General Grandison Gardner. Hurlburt's nephew was Captain Craig D. Button
Craig D. Button
Craig David Button was a United States Air Force pilot who died when he crashed an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in mysterious circumstances on April 2, 1997. During the incident, Captain Button inexplicably flew hundreds of miles off-course without radio contact, appeared to maneuver purposefully...

(noted for his mysterious flight and crash of an A-10 Thunderbolt on 2 April 1997). An official history of Eglin AFB's early years cites 2 October 1943 as the date of this accident.
Auxiliary Field 10 is the western-most of the wartime Eglin airfields, located in Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County, Florida
Santa Rosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 117,743, while a July 1, 2005, estimate placed the population at 143,105, an 18% increase making it the 84th fastest growing county in the United States between 2000 and 2005. ...

, and is named Dillon Field for Capt. Barclay H. Dillon, test pilot of the Fighter Section of the 1st Proving Ground Group, killed 2 October 1943 when P-38J-5-LO Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...

, 42-67103, crashed 8 miles (12.9 km) W of Milton, Florida
Milton, Florida
Milton , or Milltown, because Milton had the largest mill around) is a city in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. The city was incorporated in 1844 and is home to Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The population was 7,045 at the 2000 census. In 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...

. Field 10 was later named Eglin Dillon Airdrome. Now used primarily for U.S. Navy basic flight training, the Navy refers to it as Outlying Field Choctaw
Outlying Field Choctaw
Outlying Field Choctaw is the United States Navy's designation for an auxiliary airfield that was originally constructed during World War II as Eglin Field Auxiliary Field # 10.-History:...

(OLF). It is also used for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...

[UAV] training, and it is expected that F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...

s assigned to the 33d Fighter Wing
33d Fighter Wing
The 33d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida where it is a tenant unit....

at Eglin Air Force Base will utilize OLF Choctaw for training.
Auxiliary Field 11 is an unconfirmed name for a RED HORSE
Red Horse
Red Horse may refer to:*Red Horse , an album and folk group formed by Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, and Lucy Kaplansky*The Red Horse, a novel by Eugenio Corti*Red Horse Beer, a beer brewed in the Philippines...

unsurfaced airstrip that shows up on Google Earth in Walton County
Walton County, Florida
Walton County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 40,601. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 50,324. Its county seat is DeFuniak Springs, Florida. The county is home to the highest natural point in Florida: Britton Hill, at .- History...

.

Demographics

Eglin employs more than 8,500 military and approximately 4,500 civilians, with an additional 2,200 jobs due to move to Eglin under the 2005 BRAC

Base Realignment and Closure

Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...

.

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 8,082 people, 2,302 households, and 2,262 families residing on the base. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

was 2,640.1 people per square mile (1,019.8/km²). There were 2,320 housing units at an average density of 757.9/sq mi (292.7/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 71.8% White, 14.8% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 4.2% from other races, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.2% of the population.

There were 2,302 households out of which 79.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 89.8% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 1.7% were non-families. 1.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 0.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.50 and the average family size was 3.51.

On the base the population was spread out with 43.5% under the age of 18, 15.2% from 18 to 24, 39.6% from 25 to 44, 1.6% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males.

The median income for a household on the base was $31,951, and the median income for a family was $31,859. Males had a median income of $25,409 versus $19,176 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

for the base was $10,670. About 4.5% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 and older.

National historic status

There are two U.S. National Historic Landmark Districts

National Historic Landmark

A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

with connections to the base: Camp Pinchot

Camp Pinchot Historic District

The Camp Pinchot Historic District is a U.S. historic district , located approximately north of Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The district is on Eglin Air Force Base, roughly along the west bank of Garnier's Bayou. It contains 10 historic buildings.-External links:* at * at...

and Eglin Field

Eglin Field Historic District

The Eglin Field Historic District is a U.S. historic district located near Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The district is on Eglin Air Force Base, and is bounded by Barranca, Choctawhatchee, 4th, and "F" Avenues. It contains 20 historic buildings.-External links:* at * at...

Notable residents

Infielder Jay Bell
Jay Bell
Jay Stuart Bell is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and second baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets .He played his high school baseball at J.M...

was born here.
Author Hunter S Thompson served here in the 1950s.

Eglin AFB in pop culture

Three movies have been filmed in part at Eglin Air Force Base or its outlying auxiliary airfields, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Thirty Seconds over Tokyo
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is a 1944 MGM war film. It is based on the true story of America's first retaliatory air strike against Japan four months after the December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The movie was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Sam Zimbalist. The screenplay by...

in 1944, Twelve O' Clock High in 1949, and On the Threshold of Space
On the Threshold of Space
On the Threshold of Space is a 1956 Drama directed by Robert D. Webb, starring Guy Madison, Virginia Leith and John Hodiak. Historical depiction on tests done to prepare US for space travel.-Plot:...

in 1955.
Several Tom Clancy novels refer to "raking the sand traps on the officers' golf course" at Eglin as a common activity for low-security prisoners at the associated Federal Prison Camp, Eglin
Federal Prison Camp, Eglin
Federal Prison Camp, Eglin was a Federal Bureau of Prisons minimum security prison on the grounds of Eglin Air Force Base.By 2006 the federal government decided to cut costs by closing Eglin and returning the buildings to the air force. The prisoners were moved to Federal Prison Camp,...

, now closed.
F-15 Eagles from Eglin's 33rd Fighter Wing, 59th Fighter Squadron, were used in the filming of the 1997 movie Air Force One
Air Force One (film)
Air Force One is a 1997 American action-thriller film written by Andrew W. Marlowe and directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It stars Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Glenn Close, and also features Xander Berkeley, William H. Macy, Dean Stockwell and Paul Guilfoyle...

.

Climate

Warm, subtropical

Subtropics

The subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...

weather

Weather

Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...

lasts longer than the average summer. The annual precipitation

Precipitation (meteorology)

In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...

ranges from 25 inches (635 mm) to 60 inches (1,524 mm). Year-round, the average temperatures run:

January – March: 60–69 High and 42–51 Low

April – June: 76–88 High and 58–72 Low

July – September: 86–89 High and 70–77 Low

October – December: 63–79 High and 44–69 Low

The area gets only 50 to 60 days of annual precipitation or more rainfall. There are few days without sunshine, which allows year-round outdoor activities.

Environment

The forests and shores of Eglin Air Force Base are at the center of one of the most biodiverse

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...

locations in North America. Over 50 species threatened

Threatened species

Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...

in Florida are found on the base, including sea turtle

Sea turtle

Sea turtles are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic.-Distribution:...

s that nest on its white-sand beaches and red-cockaded woodpecker

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a woodpecker found in southeastern North America.- Description :About the size of the Northern Cardinal, it is approximately 8.5 in. long, with a wingspan of about 14 in. and a weight of about 1.5 ounces...

s that thrive in its longleaf pine

Longleaf Pine

Pinus palustris, commonly known as the Longleaf Pine, is a pine native to the southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeast Virginia extending into northern and central Florida....

forests. The base has a natural resources management team that constantly monitors important species within the base with the goal of balancing their national defense mission with environmental stewardship. Longleaf pine forest, a forest type reduced to 5% of its former range in the last few centuries, covers 200000 acres (809.4 km²) of the base. Part of this forest, 6795 acres (27.5 km²), is old growth, making the base home to one of the most extensive old-growth longleaf pine forests in the world.

In order to deal with the high noise levels of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, officials from Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties are studying which homes, businesses and public buildings will require additional noise protection.

Civil rocketry

Eglin Air Force Base is also a launch site for civil rockets of NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

. There are three launch pads: one at 29.6700 N, 85.3700 W at Cape San Blas; and two on Santa Rosa Island at 30.3800 N, 86.7400 W and 30.3800 N, 86.8170 W. Rockets launched here have included Arcas, Nike Cajun, Nike Apaches, and Nike Iroquois. This site was formerly operated by the 4751st ADMS with CIM-10 Bomarcs, which inactivated in 1979. In the 1940s, captured V-1 flying bomb

V-1 flying bomb

The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....

s and American copies, Republic-Ford JB-2 LOONs

Republic-Ford JB-2

The Republic-Ford JB-2 Loon was a United States copy of the German V-1 flying bomb. Developed in 1944, and planned to be used in the United States invasion of Japan , the JB-2 was never used in combat. It was the most successful of the United States Army Air Forces Jet Bomb projects during...

, were launched out over the Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...

from these sites. Two concrete launch ramps were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. A rusting Loon launch ramp still exists at Auxiliary Field 1, Wagner Field