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Plans Call For Drone Unit To Be Stationed At Naval Base Ventura County; Would Bring 700+ Jobs

Ventura County could get a major job boost, with plans to establish a major new drone operation at a military base.  The Navy is planning to base 20 MQ-25A drones at Naval Base Ventura County.

The drones would support West Coast based Navy aircraft carriers.  The drones are stationed on the carriers.  From the ships, they will be able to extend the range of combat aircraft through in-flight refueling.  They can also be used for surveillance missions.

The drones are capable of carrying 15,000 pounds of fuel, which is enough to refuel four to six aircraft.

The Navy just released a final environmental assessment for the plan, which says there will be no significant impacts. The report says the Navy consulted with the California Coastal Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in coming up with its findings.

About a thousand flights a year are planned from the Ventura County base, which will have maintenance and training facilities.  It would be an economic boost for the region, with more than 700 personnel plus their families moving to the county.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.