Background
Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) New Orleans is one of only two joint air Reserve military bases in the United States. It comprises about 5,200 acres in Plaquemines Parish and is composed of more than 7,000 personnel in 33 tenant commands. The installation’s airfield supports local squadrons from the Navy Reserve, Coast Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and the Louisiana Air National Guard. Two operational runways are maintained, with the larger offering 10,000 feet of usable space as well as a full complement of approaches for both instrument and visual landings. Multiple training detachments from the Navy, Air Force, Air National Guard, state, federal and joint service organizations are frequently supported through base operations.
The base also serves as an interim support base for disaster relief operations and actively participated in operations from Hurricane Katrina through Hurricane Isaac as well as national-interest events.
The primary mission of NAS JRB New Orleans is to provide superior operational and training environments for active-duty and Reserve components from all branches of the armed services while sustaining the full spectrum of combat, peacetime and humanitarian operations. The base also serves as a platform for assistance with Homeland Security air defense through the Louisiana Air National Guard as well as search-and-rescue efforts for much of the Gulf Coast by Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans.