Southern Maryland’s Military Facilities

On Oct. 1, 2003, NAS Patuxent River and NSWC Indian head Division came under command of Naval District Washington, one of 10 regions reporting to the new shore installation management command, called Commander, Navy Installations.  

Naval District Washington, Naval Air Station Patuxent River
 
Patuxent River is home to the Naval Air Systems Command headquarters and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. NAVAIR's Aircraft Division at Pax River (including Webster Field Annex) is the Navy's full spectrum acquisition, research, development, test, evaluation, and engineering and fleet support activity for manned and unmanned aircraft, engines, avionics, aircraft support systems and ship/shore/air operations.  With more than 165,000 air operations annually; activities at Pax River fly 140 aircraft (40+type/model/series) over 780 restricted and 5,000 controlled square miles. The RDT&E capability ranges from concepts analysis and procurement to flight-testing and support equipment. Pax River has a 19,200-member work force, nearly 14,000 acres, five runways and 935 buildings. Other major Tenant Commands located at Pax River include: Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Flight Support Detachment and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron One.  

Naval District Washington, Indian Head

Founded more than 100 years ago in 1890, the facility at Indian Head was the Navy's first established presence in Southern Maryland. What began many years ago as a gun test facility on the Potomac River, has since evolved and expanded to include numerous scientific and response-force missions serving the Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marines. From its 3,400-acre peninsula, Naval District Washington, Indian Head is home to several large tenant commands including the Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, the Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Office, the Naval Sea Logistics Center, the Marine Corps Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, and the Joint Interoperability Test Command.   Naval District Washington, Indian Head and all of its military tenants play an integral role in the Navy's overarching goal of ensuring that U.S. military have the ships, aircraft and weapon systems necessary to effectively carry out their missions around the world.  In addition to their military relevancy, the base is also recognized for the wide-ranging economic, social, cultural, and community contributions they make in Southern Maryland.  The innovation, enthusiasm and dedication they have shown for their mission and the community has been the key to their success and we are proud to have them as a vital component of the Southern Maryland region.

Demographic Profile of the Bases

 

	Pax River	Indian Head
Acres	13812	3700
Plant Asset Value	$2.6 Billion	$1.65 Billion
Employees (FY 2005)	19,200	3,620
*Payroll (FY04) (Military + Civilian)	$520.6 Mil	$205.9 Mil
Employer	Largest in Region	Largest in Charles

    * DBED OMFA FY 04 Executive Overview

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory – Chesapeake Bay Detachment

The Chesapeake Bay Detachment occupies a 168-acre site near Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, and provides facilities and support services for research in radar, electronic warfare, optical devices, materials, communications, and fire research.
Because of its location high above the Chesapeake Bay on the western shore, unique experiments can be performed in conjunction with the Tilghman Island site 16 km across the bay from CBD. Some of these experiments include low clutter and generally low background radar measurements. By using CBD's support vessels, experiments are performed that involve dispensing chaff over water and radar target characterizations of aircraft and ships.

Basic research is also conducted in radar antenna properties, testing of radar remote sensing concepts, use of radar to sensor ocean waves, and laser propagation. CBD also hosts facilities of the Navy Technology Center for Safety and Survivability, which conducts fire research on simulated carrier, surface, and submarine platforms.

Naval District Washington – Navy Recreation Center Solomons

Navy Recreation Center Solomons is only an hour and a half away from Naval District Washington, and yet a world away, from our Nation's Capital.  The scenic vistas of the waterfront are a part of daily life in Beautiful Calvert County.  Nestled on a peninsula bounded by the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay in an area aptly called "the land of pleasant living," the bay and its rivers seem to be everywhere, and their influence on local lifestyles, including leisure pursuits, is profound.

Operated by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation department, Navy Recreation Center Solomons provides a wide array of lodging, including campgrounds, cottages, bungalows, cabins and apartment rentals.  Recreational facilities such as picnic pavilions, a recreation center, a 124-slip marina, fishing pier, swimming pools, beach, miniature golf, driving range, basketball courts and tennis courts are just a few of the recreational amenities available.

Personnel serving in the uniformed services to include active duty, reserve, delayed entry, allied foreign nationals (with security clearance), military national guard, retired U.S. military personnel, active and retired Department of Defense civilian personnel, and family members who carry a uniformed services identification card, Department of Defense identification badge, or other documentation which indicates proof of eligibility are eligible to utilize NRC Solomons' services, facilities, and programs.  ID cards must be presented at check-in. 

During normal operations, eligible patrons may enter NRC Solomons with valid military or Department of Defense picture identification.  During times of heightened security, for your safety, greater security precautions may be enforced and entrance to the facility may be restricted or closed.

Impact of Bases

In 2002 the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) retained the Jacob France Institute of the Merrick School of Business at the University of Baltimore to analyze the economic impacts of the two large Southern Maryland military bases on the State of Maryland, the Southern Maryland region and on each of the three counties – Calvert Charles and St. Mary’s

Southern Maryland Military Impact Report 

Southern Maryland Military Alliances

Southern Maryland Naval Alliance
Todd Morgan, President

The Southern Maryland Navy Alliance is a multipurpose private organization governed by an elected Board of Directors.  Our mission is to support the Naval facilities at Patuxent River and St. Inigoes as an economic asset and resource to the Southern Maryland region.  Its objectives include:

• supporting and expanding the thousands of defense-related jobs in the Southern Maryland region, which includes vigorous support for the policies and budgets of Naval Aviation within the Congress and the Executive branch of the U.S. government.
 
• educating and informing local business leaders, citizens and government officials about the economic and cultural benefits of a strong military presence in the region and the importance of supporting regional infrastructure.
 
• assisting other government and private organizations with marketing the world-class science and technology assets at Patuxent River and St. Inigoes.
 
• acting as a coordinating body for various organizations and government entities having similar interests in maintaining a healthy and stable U.S. Navy presence in Southern Maryland.

• working on plan to address encroachment issues related to success of future BRAC rounds.

Indian Head Defense Alliance
John Bloom, President

The Indian Head Defense Alliance is a group of community and business leaders organized to provide support for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head and its tenant commands. Its objectives include:

• to support and articulate the military value of the core mission of Indian Head (Energetics) and promote Indian Head as the National Center for Entergetics.
• to promote the consolidation of DOD energetics work (cross service to Indian Head.
• to promote Indian Head as a site for the relocation of other DOD and government assets and the expansion of existing tenant commands ( CBIRF and JITC).
• to promote the Base, as a business enterprise through privatization, and public partnerships, commercialization of technology and joint ventures.
• to promote and support the economic revitalization of the Town of Indian Head.