JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Navy is seeking public input on its plan to cut the number of home bases for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft from three to two, which could bring additional squadrons of the planes to NAS Jacksonville.
The final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement addresses the potential environmental effects of home basing P-8A squadrons at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and NAS Whidbey Island, Wash. The new plan proposes cost savings and operational efficiencies by dropping its plan to base some of the aircraft at Marine Corps Base Keneohoe Bay, Hawaii
The Navy's new, preferred alternative calls for basing six fleet squadrons and the Fleet Replacement Squadron in Jacksonville and six fleet squadrons at Whidbey Island.
The P-8A is the military version of the commercial Boeing 737 that replaces the venerable P-3C Orion aircraft that is nearing the end of its service life. The first P-8A aircraft began operating at NAS Jacksonville in 2012.
The Final Supplemental EIS is available for review at mmaseis.com and copies are also available for inspection at the Webb-Wesconnett Regional Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library at 6887 103rd Street.