ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Coast Guard leaders, elected officials, industry partners, and community stakeholders gathered Tuesday at Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City to break ground on a $32 million recapitalization of Runway 1-19, restoring a critical operational capability to one of the nation’s busiest Coast Guard aviation installations.
The event marks the beginning of a multi-year project that will fully rebuild the base’s long-closed crosswind runway, modernize airfield lighting and taxiways, and enhance the resilience of aviation operations that support missions from the local region to locations across the globe.
Runway 1-19, closed to Coast Guard aircraft since 2008, represents a single point of vulnerability at the Coast Guard’s largest aviation hub on the East Coast. This additional runway is projected to increase the air station’s readiness by reducing operational risk and preserving essential training and maintenance for the aviation fleet.
“Restoring Runway 1-19 optimizes our ability to execute lifesaving and national security missions every day throughout the East District,” said Rear Adm. Zeita Merchant, commander of the Coast Guard East District and presiding official for the ceremony. “It maximizes our response readiness and provides our aircrews with the tactical flexibility and agility to deploy day or night without delay.”
The recapitalization project was made possible through support from the North Carolina Congressional Delegation, which championed funding included in the Fiscal Year 21 Coast Guard Unfunded Priorities List. The contract was awarded in August 2025 to RQ Construction, who is scheduled to execute the full reconstruction under the oversight of the Coast Guard’s Facilities Design and Construction Center (FDCC) and in partnership with Air Station Elizabeth City’s airfield manager.
Construction on Runway 1-19 is scheduled to continue through 2027, with full operational capability expected upon completion of the new paved surface, lighting, and restored taxiways. During construction, the primary runway will remain fully operational, ensuring uninterrupted air operations.
"Every Coast Guard mission begins and ends at a shore facility, and here at Base Elizabeth City, those missions begin and end on our runways," said Capt. Peter Bosma, commanding officer of FDCC. "This recapitalization restores essential airfield capacity, enhances safety and efficiency, and ensures our pilots, aircrews, and maintainers have the resilient infrastructure they need to support a modern and dynamic Coast Guard."
The restoration of Runway 1-19 provides a critical crosswind capability that reduces the need to reposition aircraft during severe weather, limits wear on the primary runway, and supports uninterrupted flight training, testing, depot level maintenance, and global operational tasking.
"The return of a safe and modern crosswind runway directly improves our ability to launch and recover aircraft when it matters most,” said Capt. Catherine Carabine, commanding officer of Air Station Elizabeth City. “It also advances the safety of the 85,000 operations expected by Coast Guard, Department of War, and civilian traffic who use this airfield and provides a critical solution for our air traffic controllers to deconflict aircraft.”
Air Station Elizabeth City deploys MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews to cases from the Chesapeake Bay to hundreds of miles offshore and HC-130J Hercules airplanes to missions in the North Atlantic, Caribbean, and beyond.
Base Elizabeth City serves as home to Air Station Elizabeth City, Aviation Logistics Center, Aviation Technical Training Center, and Aviation Projects Acquisition Center. While the Coast Guard owns the airfield and the air traffic control tower, it is also a joint-use airfield with the Elizabeth City Regional Airport that supports the rapidly growing Elizabeth City State University flight training program.
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