News

Nov 04, 2023

Ribbon Cutting Held for Combat Aircraft Loading Area Project in San Clemente Island

Ribbon cutting party included: NAVFAC Southwest Commanding Officer Capt. Laurie

Ribbon cutting party included: NAVFAC Southwest Commanding Officer Capt. Laurie Scott, Naval base Coronado Commanding Officer Capt. Charles "Newt" McKissick, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing U.S. Pacific Fleet Deputy Commander Capt. Kenneth Colman, and contract representative from Reyes Construction.

Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 and Amphibious Construction Battalion ONE along with contract partners from Reyes Construction have completed construction on Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southwest's $7.9 million Combat Aircraft Loading Area (CALA) military construction project in San Clemente Island, Calif., and NAVFAC Southwest hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate this achievement on March 20.

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4, Amphibious Construction battalion ONE, contractors Reyes Construction, and NAVFAC Southwest Facilities Engineering Acquisition Division (FEAD) Naval Base Coronado took industry with military engineering contributions to execute combat relevant infrastructure construction and simultaneously postured military engineers to respond to a conflict while balancing DoD requirements, military capacity, and private industry to deliver engineering solutions. Construction on this project was based off a cutting edge whole of Engineer concept which saw Seabee Labor capabilities paired with NAVFAC Contractor support to execute and manage construction. Navy Construction Force (NCF) was responsible for all labor activities while the Reyes Construction provided oversite, material logistics, and the coaching and mentorship of the Seabee labor forces. The flexibility, problem solving and support allowed a hybrid execution approach to provide defense contractors freedom of access to a diverse labor pool of specialized skillsets. This flexibility method expanded the contractor's logistic capability, and has laid the groundwork for contractor and Seabee partnership projects in the future.

The project provided San Clemente Island two 125-square-foot Combat Aircraft Loading Area (CALA) pads, ordinance pad and subsequent utilities improvements consisting of perimeter lighting, lighting wind sock, flag pole and emergency post phone.

San Clemente Island is one of eight islands that comprise the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California and is the Navy's only remaining live-fire-range in the continental United States with simultaneous ship-to-shore and air-to-ground capabilities, and as such is crucial to military training and national security. San Clemente Island is one of many locations that make up Naval Base Coronado. Unequalled in operational scope and complexity, Naval Base Coronado provides a shore-based platform for helicopters, aircraft carriers, SEAL Teams and other ashore and afloat commands for access to a comprehensive quantity of ground, sea, and air operational and training space.