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Hangar 5 Recapitalization Completed on NAS Whidbey Island

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100525-19
5/25/2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tucker M. Yates, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest

OAK HARBOR, Wash. (NNS) -- A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of a recapitalization for Hangar 5 on Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island May 24.

The $55.8 million renovation, known as military construction project 169, was a three-phase project which began in January 2008 to facilitate the ongoing transition from the EA-6B Prowler to the EA-18G Growler.

The completed hangar will accommodate five Growler squadrons, the Electronic Attack Weapons School and Commander, Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

There are currently three safe-for-flight EA-18G squadrons on the installation.

"In the end, the entire project lasted only 1036 days," said Capt. Pat Rios, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest commanding officer. "Back in the olden days when I was a young man, these things would take many, many years, probably half a decade, to execute. We've significantly shortened that. Well done to our team, I look forward to the future as we continue to roll this mission out."

According to Capt. Gerral David, NAS Whidbey Island commanding officer, this marks the second time the hangar's configuration has changed to accommodate a different aircraft platform since being built in 1954. The hangar was originally built to facilitate the P-2V Neptune, then the Prowler and, now, it's the home of the Growler.

"All I've got to say is, wow, this is the most extreme makeover we have done in a long time; this is a fantastic project," said Floyd Hollenkamp, senior vice president with The Korte Company, which was the lead contractor for the project. "It's been great, [for] our construction team and all the local sub-contractors that really helped put forth the effort to complete this project. It couldn't have been done any better or smoother and it was really [great] to be a part of [bringing] this project to completion."

Hollenkamp presented David with an appreciation plaque during the ceremony in honor of the partnership Korte and NAS Whidbey Island have fostered over the course of the project.

According to David, the hangar will be named Haviland Hangar in honor of Cmdr. Willis Haviland, a former naval aviator who received the Navy Cross and served during World Wars I and II, as well as being the executive and commanding officer of NAS Whidbey Island during its commissioning period.