Naval Air Station Patuxent River
Overview
"Pax River" redirects here. For the river, see Patuxent River
.
Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States
Naval Air Station
located in St. Mary's County
, Maryland
on the Chesapeake Bay
near the mouth of the Patuxent River
. It is home to the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and serves as a center for test and evaluation and systems acquisition relating to Naval Aviation
. Commissioned on April 1, 1943 on land largely acquired through eminent domain
, the air station grew rapidly in response to World War II
.
The base became a center for testing as several facilities were constructed throughout the 1950s and 1960s; including the U.S.
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
.
Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
located in St. Mary's County
Saint Mary's County, Maryland
Saint Mary's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 105,151. Its county seat is Leonardtown...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
on the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
near the mouth of the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
. It is home to the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and serves as a center for test and evaluation and systems acquisition relating to Naval Aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
. Commissioned on April 1, 1943 on land largely acquired through eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
, the air station grew rapidly in response to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The base became a center for testing as several facilities were constructed throughout the 1950s and 1960s; including the U.S.
