Naval Air Station Whidbey Island

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NAS Whidbey Island Ault Field

IATA: NUW - ICAO: KNUW - FAA: NUW
Summary
Controlled By		United States Navy
Facility Type		Naval Air Station
Location		Oak Harbor, Washington
Commissioned		September 21, 1942
Current Status		Active
Elevation AMSL		47 ft (14 m)
Coordinates		48°21′06″N, 122°39′21″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
7/25	8,000	2,438	Concrete
13/31	8,000	2,438	Concrete

“Ault Field” redirects here. For the census-designated place, see Ault Field, Washington.

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) (IATA: NUW, ICAO: KNUW, FAA LID: NUW) is a United States Navy air base located in two sections around Oak Harbor, Washington, USA. It was commissioned September 21, 1942, just in time to become an important west coast base during World War II.

The main portion of the base is called Ault Field in memory of Commander William B. Ault who was listed 'missing in action' during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Ault Field is located approximately three miles north of Oak Harbor.

The other section of the base is called the Seaplane base. Originally, it was home to the PBY Catalina flying boats which served in many places around the world during WWII. It is the primary location of the base Navy Exchange and DECA Commissary. It is also where most of the Navy housing is located.

A disused satellite airfield is on the southern peninsular of Whidbey Island at 48°11′24″N, 122°37′48″W.

Currently, NASWI supports EA-6B Prowler, P-3C Orion, EP-3 AIRIES II, C-9 Skytrain and MH-60S Knighthawk aircraft.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eleven (EODMU-11) members perform a static jump from the ramp of a C-130 "Hercules" at the "dis-used" USN Reserve airfield on the southern penninsular of Whidbey Island, at coordinates 48°11′24″N, 122°37′48″W.