Last updated: June 10, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET
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Disclosure

NavyWeek.org is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Department of Defense, NAVCO, or DFAS. This page is informational reference material — not official guidance — and is compiled from public U.S. government sources.

// U.S. Navy Installations

NAVY BASES DIRECTORY

A directory of United States Navy bases and major installations — from the world's largest naval base at Norfolk, Virginia, to the strategic Pacific Fleet headquarters at Pearl Harbor and the cradle of naval aviation at NAS Pensacola. Browse by state or by installation type to learn the history, mission, and major commands of each base.

Portrait of T Madden Alford
Written by
T Madden Alford — U.S. Naval Academy '02 · U.S. Navy Reserve Captain (O-6) · Former submarine officer, USS Key West
Reviewed by
Erik Rivera — U.S. Naval Academy '04 · Former U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officer
Last reviewed: May 25, 2026 · Sources checked: May 25, 2026

U.S. Navy Bases — Key Facts

Bases catalogued (this directory)
58
U.S. states represented
19
Overseas bases catalogued
15
Installation types covered
7 (Naval Stations, NAS, SUBASE, Joint Bases, specialty)
Largest U.S. Navy base
Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia — ~75,000 active-duty personnel
Managed by
Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC)

Source: navy.mil installation pages and DoD installation listings

58
Bases Catalogued
19
States Represented
15
Overseas Bases
7
Installation Types

INTERACTIVE MAP

HAWAIIALASKA

BROWSE BY STATE

CACalifornia10CTConnecticut1DCDistrict of Columbia1FLFlorida5GAGeorgia1HIHawaii2ILIllinois1LALouisiana1MEMaine1MDMaryland3MSMississippi2NVNevada1NJNew Jersey1RIRhode Island1SCSouth Carolina1TNTennessee1TXTexas3VAVirginia4WAWashington3

OVERSEAS BASES

// Forward-Deployed Installations
NAVY BASES OVERSEAS (15)
Forward-deployed U.S. Navy installations across 12 host nations — Japan, Bahrain, Italy, Spain, and more. Includes SOFA status, host-nation context, and regional command breakdowns.
Explore
BH · Bahrain (1)IO · British Indian Ocean Territory (1)CU · Cuba (1)DJ · Djibouti (1)GR · Greece (1)GU · Guam (1)IS · Iceland (1)IT · Italy (2)JP · Japan (3)SG · Singapore (1)KR · South Korea (1)ES · Spain (1)

ALL BASES (A–Z)

58 of 58 bases

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The U.S. Navy operates dozens of major shore installations across the United States and abroad, including Naval Stations, Naval Air Stations (NAS), Submarine Bases (SUBASE), Joint Bases, and specialty installations like the U.S. Naval Academy. This directory currently catalogues the largest and most historically significant U.S.-based installations, with more added on an ongoing basis.

Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia is the world's largest naval base by population, footprint, and concentration of ships. It is home to U.S. Fleet Forces Command, supports approximately 75 ships and 134 aircraft, and houses around 75,000 active-duty personnel.

A Naval Station is a general-purpose installation for surface ships. A Naval Base typically refers to a regional complex of multiple installations or a specific surface-ship homeport. A Naval Air Station (NAS) is centered on naval aviation operations and pilot training. A Submarine Base (SUBASE) is dedicated to homing and supporting submarines. A Joint Base is a Department of Defense-managed installation that combines two or more services (e.g., Navy + Air Force at Pearl Harbor-Hickam).

Most active U.S. Navy bases are restricted to authorized personnel and require a sponsor or pre-approved access for visitors. Some bases host on-base museums, memorials, or air shows that are open to the public — for example, the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, the USS Arizona Memorial at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, and U.S. Naval Academy tours in Annapolis. Always check the specific base's public-affairs page before planning a visit.

Navy shore installations are managed by Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC), which oversees Navy regions worldwide. Each individual base is led by a Commanding Officer (typically a Navy Captain) who reports through the regional commander. Tenant commands — such as fleet headquarters, ships, air wings, and schools — operate on the base under their own chains of command.

Editorial policy

  • Source priority. We cite Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) regional pages, individual installation public-affairs pages on navy.mil, and DoD installation listings first. Historical claims are sourced from the Naval History and Heritage Command. Non-government sources are not used as primary evidence on this page.
  • Independence. NavyWeek.org is not affiliated with the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense, NAVCO, or any federal agency. We do not accept payment to recommend specific recruiters, schools, vendors, or services.
  • Review cadence. Base totals, state counts, and installation-type counts are re-verified whenever the underlying dataset is updated. Largest-base claims, CO/CNIC structure, and visitor-access framing are re-verified quarterly.
  • Reviewer. The page is reviewed for accuracy by the reviewer named in the byline. The "Last reviewed" date at the top of the page reflects the most recent review pass.
  • Corrections. Factual errors are corrected as soon as we can verify the issue against an official source. See the "Report an outdated fact" link below.
  • Not advice. This page is informational only. For decisions about service, benefits, pay, or assignment, rely on official .mil sources and your chain of command, detailer, recruiter, or accredited representative.
See something out of date? Report an outdated fact or reach the editors via the contact page. Please include a link to the official .gov or .mil source you believe is more current.