Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a nearly $36 million contract June 29, to Hensel Phelps Construction Company of Orlando, Florida, for the construction of a Triton Forward Operating Base Hangar at Naval Station (NS) Mayport, Florida.

"Awarding this contract marks another significant step in supporting the new Triton mission at NS Mayport," said Capt. David Yoder, commanding officer, NS Mayport. "The Triton program is a key element of our future Navy and we fully support the development of critical infrastructure that will ensure NS Mayport's ability to effectively and efficiently support the fleet well into the future."

The Triton program will base platforms at five strategically selected sites around the world. Naval Station Mayport's selection, as the first basing site, will be used to establish and meet threshold requirements for Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the Triton Unmanned Aerial System in 2019. IOC is defined as one base unit with sufficient assets, technical data, training systems, and enough spares and support equipment to operationally support one persistent orbit.

The project calls for the design and construction of a multi-story, steel-framed, concrete masonry aircraft maintenance hangar, storage facility and aircraft apron to accommodate the Triton program forward operating base requirements and associated facilities.

The facility will provide Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) features and comply with
AT/FP regulations and physical security mitigation in accordance with DoD minimum anti-terrorism standards for buildings. Built-in equipment includes power service points, aqueous film-forming foam fire suppression system, a five-ton overhead bridge crane, passenger elevator, emergency generator, aircraft cooling units, power units, compressed air system and wash racks.

Site improvements include grading, paved parking for approximately 160 vehicles, access roads, curbs, sidewalks, landscaping, fencing and signs, jet blast field fencing, box culverts, concrete access apron, concrete taxiway, wash rack and launch and recovery paving.

The new facility is expected to be completed by September 2019.

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