Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen is a
United States Coast Guard Air Station located at the
Rafael Hernandez International Airport
Rafael may refer to:
* Rafael (given name) or Raphael, a name of Hebrew origin
* Rafael, California
* Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israeli manufacturer of weapons and military technology
* Hurricane Rafael, a 2012 hurricane
Fiction
* ''R ...
(formerly
Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It was named after United States Army Air Forces Brigadier General Howard Knox Ramey. Following its closure, it was redeveloped into Rafael Hernandez Airpo ...
), in
Aguadilla
Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla i ...
,
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
.
History
United States Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen is the direct descendant of the former Coast Guard Air Station San Juan, which was located at the former
Naval Air Station Isla Grande. In November 1971, the Air Station relocated to its present location at what was then
Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It was named after United States Army Air Forces Brigadier General Howard Knox Ramey. Following its closure, it was redeveloped into Rafael Hernandez Airpo ...
, a
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
(SAC)
B-52
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
bomber and
KC-135
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...
aerial refueling aircraft base in Aguadilla, and became known as Coast Guard Air Station Puerto Rico. Two years later the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
discontinued its operation at Ramey AFB, turning the facilities over to the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporate ...
and the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
Naval Station Roosevelt Roads West Annex. The Coast Guard assumed the host role in July 1976, when the Navy vacated the station. It was then that the unit was designated Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen. The Air Station originally utilized three
HU-16E Albatross
The Grumman HU-16 Albatross is a large, twin–radial engined amphibious seaplane that was used by the United States Air Force (USAF), the U.S. Navy (USN), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), primarily as a search and rescue (SAR) aircraft. Origina ...
amphibious seaplanes and two
HH-52A Sea Guard helicopters to effect its search and rescue missions. In March 1973, three
HH-3F Pelican helicopters replaced these aircraft.
The need for increased range for law enforcement and search and rescue resulted in the addition of four
HU-25A Falcon jets to the Air Station's inventory in late 1983 and early 1984. In 1985, four new
HH-65A Dolphin short-range rescue helicopters replaced the three HH-3F Pelicans, giving the Air Station a shipboard deployment capability. The HU-25As were replaced in 1987 by three
HC-130H Hercules aircraft that provided long range search and surveillance capability until their departure in June 1996. Due to the increased tempo of operations in the Caribbean, the Air Station again added four HU-25As to the inventory from July 1999 until September 2001. The Air Station currently operates with 4 MH-65D Dolphin helicopters while also supporting a variety of other forward deployed aircraft.
Operations
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen is under the operational control of Commander, Coast Guard Sector San Juan located in
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the jur ...
. Its main operation is search and rescue missions, Secondary missions include: law enforcement, aerial support for
ATON
Aton, ATON or variants thereof may refer to:
People
* Aton Ben-Horin (born 1979), American music executive and record producer
* Aton Edwards (born c. 1962), American expert in the fields of emergency preparedness, self-reliance and sustainable ...
, and logistic support. Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen also provides support for U.S. Coast Guard vessels and aircraft, and other
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the Federal government of the United States, U.S. United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the I ...
agencies such as the
CBP Air and Marine Operations
Air and Marine Operations (AMO) is a federal law enforcement component within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). AMO's mission is to protect the American people and na ...
and the
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States' U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Customs and Border Protection and is responsible for securing ...
Ramey Sector nearby the Air Station Borinquen.
The number of personnel at U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen is made of 170 enlisted personnel, 35 officers and 150 civilians.
Base Facilities
* Coast Guard Housing Area
* Hangar for U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft and adjacent facilities
* U.S. Coast Guard Recruiting Office
* MWR Guest Cottages
* Child Development Center
* Community Center - The Pelican Pub
* E-Lounge located on School Road next to the LaPlaza Building
* Ray Park
*
Boys and Girls Club Boys & Girls Club may refer to:
* Boys & Girls Clubs of America
* Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada
* Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Clubs, Bronx, United States
* Essex Boys and Girls Clubs, in Essex and East London, England
* The Boys' and Girls' Clubs A ...
*
Coast Guard Exchange
The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...
& Gas Station (Located on 91 Wing Road)
*
DoDEA
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is a federal school system headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing prekindergarten through 12th grade educational programs on behal ...
Ramey Unit School (Located on 201 Arch Road)
* ID Card Office
* Post Library
* Base Chapel
* Borinquen Fitness Center
* Tennis Courts and Basketball Court
* Recreation Gear Locker
* Swimming Pool
* Air Station Borinquen Health Clinic
* Dental Clinic
References
{{Reflist
External links
Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen Home Page
United States Coast Guard Air Stations
United States Coast Guard Aviation
Buildings and structures in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Military facilities in Puerto Rico
1971 establishments in Puerto Rico
Military installations of the United States in Puerto Rico