Naval Air Station Key West, located on the island of Key West at the southernmost extent of the Florida Keys, served as a major United States Navy aviation installation throughout the Cold War and Cold War era. NAS Key West supported fleet air defense operations, anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft, and fleet adversary training operations from its position at the strategic entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. The station was established as a naval air facility during World War II and expanded significantly during the Cold War, providing the Navy with air coverage of Cuban waters during the Cuban Missile Crisis and supporting Caribbean fleet operations throughout the Cold War period. The station’s aircraft maintenance hangars, flight line support facilities, enlisted barracks, administrative buildings, and support infrastructure were constructed using military construction materials that incorporated asbestos-containing building materials throughout the installation’s construction and expansion during the WWII and Cold War periods. Naval aviators, aviation ratings, and shore support personnel stationed at NAS Key West accumulated background asbestos exposure from the installation’s asbestos-containing construction throughout their Key West duty assignments.

NAS Key West Facility Asbestos

Naval Air Station Key West’s construction incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • Aircraft maintenance hangars — the aircraft maintenance hangars at NAS Key West where aviation ratings maintained Navy aircraft were constructed using military hangar construction specifications with asbestos-containing building materials in the hangar structural construction, overhead construction, and maintenance pit construction. Aviation ratings performing aircraft maintenance in Key West hangars accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hangar construction materials during aircraft maintenance operations
  • Flight line support facilities — the flight line support buildings, aircraft refueling facilities, and line shack facilities supporting Key West flight operations were constructed with asbestos-containing building materials consistent with the military construction specifications of the WWII and Cold War construction periods
  • Enlisted barracks — the enlisted barracks at NAS Key West constructed during the WWII base establishment and Cold War expansion used military construction with asbestos-containing floor tile, ceiling materials, and pipe insulation in the residential facility construction. Naval personnel living in Key West barracks accumulated background asbestos exposure from the residential facility construction
  • Administration and support buildings — the administrative buildings, operations buildings, and technical support facilities at NAS Key West incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials in the building construction consistent with Cold War military construction specifications

Aircraft Operations Asbestos

Aircraft maintained and operated at NAS Key West brought additional asbestos exposure:

  • Fleet adversary aircraft maintenance — NAS Key West’s role as a fleet adversary training site brought a succession of high-performance aircraft to the installation for adversary pilot training. Aviation mechanics maintaining fleet adversary aircraft at Key West encountered asbestos-containing aircraft brake lining materials and aircraft electrical wiring insulation consistent with the aircraft construction periods
  • Anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft — the P-2 Neptune and later P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft operating ASW patrols from Key West incorporated asbestos-containing aircraft construction materials consistent with their construction periods. Aviation ratings maintaining maritime patrol aircraft at NAS Key West accumulated aircraft maintenance-related asbestos exposure

VA Claims for NAS Key West Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure at naval shore installations. Navy personnel who served at Naval Air Station Key West and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.