July 10, 2025
Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia (for herself and Mr. Wittman) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia, should remain a critical component of the future carrier-based strike fighter capability of the Navy and receive F–35C squadrons as part of the modernization strategy of the Navy.
Whereas Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has served as the East Coast Master Jet Base of the Navy for more than 70 years, supporting the training, readiness, and deployment of carrier-based tactical aviation;
Whereas NAS Oceana provides critical support to Atlantic Fleet carrier strike groups, including squadrons embarked aboard nuclear-powered aircraft carriers based at Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base globally;
Whereas the F/A–18 Super Hornet squadrons currently based at NAS Oceana are nearing the end of their service life and must be replaced by next-generation aircraft to maintain operational effectiveness and readiness;
Whereas the F–35C Lightning II, the carrier-variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, represents the future of naval aviation, providing advanced stealth, sensor fusion, and survivability capabilities;
Whereas the future strike fighter basing plan of the Navy must ensure a geographically balanced posture that supports fleet operations from both coasts and aligns with national defense strategy requirements;
Whereas the consolidation of F–35C squadrons solely at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, would leave the east coast of the United States without fifth-generation carrier-based strike capability and strain deployment timelines and logistics for Atlantic Fleet air wings; and
Whereas NAS Oceana possesses the infrastructure, airspace access, proximity to carrier home ports, and regional workforce necessary to support F–35C operations effectively: Now, therefore, be it
That is the sense of the House of Representatives that—
(1)
the Secretary of the Navy should maintain a dual-coast basing strategy for F–35C Lightning II squadrons to support global naval operations and ensure redundancy, responsiveness, and readiness;
(2)
NAS Oceana should be designated to receive F–35C squadrons as part of the strike fighter modernization plan of the Navy;
(3)
the Secretary of the Navy should provide to Congress a detailed timeline and implementation plan for the integration of F–35C squadrons at NAS Oceana, including necessary military construction, training pipelines, and transition support; and
(4)
the Secretary of the Navy should ensure that future military construction and programmatic decisions do not result in disproportionate consolidation on the west coast of the United States that undermines the operational flexibility and strategic value of aviation infrastructure on the east coast of the United States.