Naval Air Station Key West, Florida

NAS Key West, a 5,800-acre installation providing critical training and support for US military operations, faces significant risks from rising sea levels. Projections for the Florida Keys indicate sea levels could rise between 3.8 and 6.2 feet this century, threatening land that currently sits at elevations of three feet or less. The document argues that a large gap exists between current military preparedness and these threats, calling for increased funding for high-resolution flooding models, tide gauge networks, and detailed mapping to implement long-term adaptive measures.

• The Florida Keys region is highly vulnerable to sea level rise, with most land situated at elevations of three feet or less, while projected sea level increases for the century range from 3.8 to 6.2 feet.
• NAS Key West is a critical military asset covering 5,800 acres that supports fighter pilot training for all armed forces branches, houses over 800 personnel and 100 aircraft, and hosts commands such as the Joint Interagency Task Force South and the Army Special Forces Underwater Training School.
• There is a significant and increasing disparity between the current level of military preparedness and the actual threats posed by sea level rise to installations like NAS Key West.
• To address these risks, the Department of Defense and Congress must provide resources for high-resolution hurricane and coastal flooding models, tide gauge network funding, and detailed mapping and planning for military sites.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2016). Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. https://www.ucs.org/resources/front-lines-rising-seas-naval-air-station-key-west-florida

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. 2016. https://www.ucs.org/resources/front-lines-rising-seas-naval-air-station-key-west-florida.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Naval Air Station Key West, Florida |date=15 July 2016 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/front-lines-rising-seas-naval-air-station-key-west-florida |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2016naval, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Naval Air Station Key West, Florida}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/front-lines-rising-seas-naval-air-station-key-west-florida}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }