Reopening of Adak Naval Base under consideration By Margaret Bauman - April 15, 2025
Reopening of Adak Naval Base under consideration
By Margaret Bauman - April 15, 2025
A slow Alaskan summer sunset slowly graces Horseshoe Bay on the Aleutian Chain's Adak Island at 10:30 p.m. on July 21, 2023. Photo by Caleb Riston/Unsplash
Reopening of the Adak Naval Base, which has been closed down for the past 30 years, is under consideration by the U.S. Navy, according to U.S. Sen. Dan. Sullivan, R-Alaska.
Sullivan said on April 14 that the Navy is considering opening a full-blown naval base on the site. Other options under consideration include basic infrastructure upgrades and a medium base, facility, he said.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 10, endorsed reopening the base, which was officially closed under the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) in October 1995. The last military mission there ended on March 31, 1997, and the base ceased operations at that time.
Paparo’s support came in response to questions the senator posed to reopen Ada as part of the larger build-up of U.S. military assets in Alaska, Sullivan said. U.S. Northern Command Gen. Gregory Guillot also endorsed reopening the Adak base in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in February.
Cost estimates for a report on various reopening scenarios for the base being compiled are expected to be finalized in the next few weeks, he said.
Meanwhile Adak is to be used this summer as part of Northern Edge, a joint training exercise involving the Air Force Army, Navy, Marine Corps and often military forces from allied nations.
“A base at Adak’s incredibly strategic location would provide ten times the maritime patrol and reconnaissance coverage that we currently have in the North Pacific,” Sullivan said. “The Navy is crafting three different options for redevelopment of Adak – low, medium, and high – spanning the gamut from basic infrastructure upgrades to a full-blown naval base.”
Sullivan said he is awaiting the results of the site assessment that took place earlier this month, which should offer a better idea of the cost and scope of the project. He intends to push for funds in the forthcoming budget reconciliation process or through the amendment process to the National Defense Authorization Act this year, he said.
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Margaret Bauman
Margaret Bauman
Margaret Bauman is a veteran Alaska journalist focused on covering fisheries and environmental issues. Bauman has been writing for The Cordova Times since 2010. You can reach her at fisheriesreporter@gmail.com.
Reopening of Adak Naval Base under consideration By Margaret Bauman - April 15, 2025
Reopening of Adak Naval Base under consideration
By Margaret Bauman - April 15, 2025
A slow Alaskan summer sunset slowly graces Horseshoe Bay on the Aleutian Chain's Adak Island at 10:30 p.m. on July 21, 2023. Photo by Caleb Riston/Unsplash
Reopening of the Adak Naval Base, which has been closed down for the past 30 years, is under consideration by the U.S. Navy, according to U.S. Sen. Dan. Sullivan, R-Alaska.
Sullivan said on April 14 that the Navy is considering opening a full-blown naval base on the site. Other options under consideration include basic infrastructure upgrades and a medium base, facility, he said.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 10, endorsed reopening the base, which was officially closed under the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) in October 1995. The last military mission there ended on March 31, 1997, and the base ceased operations at that time.
Paparo’s support came in response to questions the senator posed to reopen Ada as part of the larger build-up of U.S. military assets in Alaska, Sullivan said. U.S. Northern Command Gen. Gregory Guillot also endorsed reopening the Adak base in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in February.
Cost estimates for a report on various reopening scenarios for the base being compiled are expected to be finalized in the next few weeks, he said.
Meanwhile Adak is to be used this summer as part of Northern Edge, a joint training exercise involving the Air Force Army, Navy, Marine Corps and often military forces from allied nations.
“A base at Adak’s incredibly strategic location would provide ten times the maritime patrol and reconnaissance coverage that we currently have in the North Pacific,” Sullivan said. “The Navy is crafting three different options for redevelopment of Adak – low, medium, and high – spanning the gamut from basic infrastructure upgrades to a full-blown naval base.”
Sullivan said he is awaiting the results of the site assessment that took place earlier this month, which should offer a better idea of the cost and scope of the project. He intends to push for funds in the forthcoming budget reconciliation process or through the amendment process to the National Defense Authorization Act this year, he said.
Previous article
Commentary | If passed, the SAVE Act will disenfranchise many eligible Alaska voters
Next article
Three Cordova boys participate in Senior All Star games
Margaret Bauman
Margaret Bauman
Margaret Bauman is a veteran Alaska journalist focused on covering fisheries and environmental issues. Bauman has been writing for The Cordova Times since 2010. You can reach her at fisheriesreporter@gmail.com.