Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD – The U.S. Marine Corps received its final MQ-9A Reaper Block 5 Extended Range (ER) Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) Gray Butte flight operations facility in California in June 2025, marking the successful completion of a three-year acquisition campaign. With 18...
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Naval Air Station Patuxent River announced that Gate 1 will be closing for over 2 hours for barrier maintenance on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Pax River’s Gate 3 will remain open until 11 a.m. June 3 to accommodate traffic. Delays will be expected throughout the area.
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The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is boosting its testing capabilities with a new UAS experimentation system showcased recently at a training event at Naval Air Station Patuxent River’s Webster Outlying Field. Designed to accelerate unmanned aviation development, the Tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Experimentation Payload System (TULEPS) allows developers to test software...
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By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tracey Bannister, Navy Office of Community Outreach. PENSACOLA, Fla. – Ensign Keirra Harvey, a native of Waldorf, Maryland, is serving in the U.S. Navy amongst sailors, Marines and guardsmen at Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC) who are developing the skills needed to be a combat-ready aviation professional. Harvey is...
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On Saturday, May 17, 2025, at approximately 4:09 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services from Virginia and Maryland responded to the Potomac River in the area of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Virginia, for the reported downed aircraft with fire. Multiple 911 callers reported a plane crashed into the water...
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Maryland Loses AAA Bond Rating for first time in over 50 years, ending a historic run of fiscal stability that stretched back to 1973. Statement by the Maryland Freedom Caucus – “Governor Wes Moore’s attempt to shift blame for Maryland’s credit downgrade is as misleading as it is predictable. Democrats have controlled the Maryland...
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Military personnel from across the country gathered near NAS Patuxent River May 5-8 for an annual workshop aimed at strengthening fleet training on critical aircrew support systems, ensuring the safety of both aircrew and maintainers during flight missions. Hosted by the Naval Aircrew Systems (PMA-202) Fleet Air Introduction/Liaison of Survival Aircrew Flight Equipment (FAILSAFE)...
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Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD: The Navy’s T-10 Test Cell Facility at Pax River is undergoing a significant revitalization that will enable engine testing in a noise-suppressed environment. Driven by a collaborative effort between the Common Aviation Support Equipment program office (PMA-260) and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), this initiative strengthens...
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Governor Wes Moore presided over the second bill signing ceremony of 2025, which included The Expungement Reform Act, a key piece of the Moore-Miller Administration’s legislative agenda. “The legislation signed strengthens the Moore-Miller Administration’s all-of-the-above approach to public safety while creating pathways to work, wages, and wealth for rehabilitated Marylanders.” “Our strategy to make...
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St. Mary’s County Government’s Department of Emergency Services (DES) urges community members to be prepared for the next Atlantic hurricane season, which starts on June 1, 2025, and goes through November 30, 2025. While severe weather can happen outside of this timeframe, it is the most active for hurricane and tropical storm activity. In...
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The Naval Aircrew Systems program office (PMA-202) welcomed new leadership during a change of command and retirement ceremony April 17, 2025, at Pax River. Capt. Joseph Kamara assumed command of PMA-202 relieving Capt. Carey Castelein of his duties as program manager, who will retire from the Navy. Over his tenure, Castelein managed 13 acquisition...
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NAS Patuxent River will participate in an annual hurricane preparedness and recovery exercise April 21-May 2, 2025. HURRICANE EXERCISE/CITADEL GALE (HURREX/CG) 2025 is an annual hurricane preparedness/ disaster response and recovery exercise conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC). All Navy regions and installations on the eastern...
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Governor Wes Moore announced the launch of a new process to streamline hiring for four critical and hard-to-fill position types across the state government. The governor directed actions to streamline hiring to modernize state government and to support job-seeking federal workers impacted by federal layoffs and firings. Under the Maryland Department of Budget Management,...
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Communities surrounding the Patuxent River Naval Air Station and Fort Mary Walker, Virginia are advised that nighttime noise-generating testing events are scheduled to take place April 17, 2025 from 5:45 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. Night testing and training is essential for the precision and safety of our military personnel and the success of their...
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The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County (CSMC) and the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NAS PAX) will hold a joint meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 9 a.m. in the Frank Knox Building, located just outside of NAS PAX Gate 2 at 21866 Cedar Point Road, Patuxent River. “Our partnership...
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DeCA announces extension of pilot expansion of commissary benefit to military civilian employees The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) will extend the dates of the current pilot for Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees to shop at select commissary stores in the continental United States to Dec. 31. The DoD-approved pilot originally ran Dec. 5,...
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4/8/2025 – Governor Wes Moore presided over the first bill signing ceremony of 2025, which included bills under the Moore-Miller Administration’s legislative agenda to strengthen Maryland’s workforce. The legislation signed today strengthens the apprenticeship pipeline in Maryland, creates pathways to meaningful employment for Marylanders with disabilities, and helps to fast track license approval for...
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A new exhibit showcasing developmental test pilots, flight officers, engineers and the history and influence of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) launches at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum on April 12. The exhibit, “80 Years of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future,” brings Southern Maryland — home of developmental...
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Governor Wes Moore released the following statement regarding President Trump’s executive order ending federal workers’ collective bargaining rights. “Maryland will always have the backs of working people and organized labor. And amid the draconian federal cuts impacting public servants across our state, our partnership with organized labor has become more important than ever. In...
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Former Governor Larry Hogan released the following statement. “Today is a sad and unfortunate day for Maryland that was entirely avoidable. The tax hikes proposed would cripple Maryland’s economy and already struggling Marylanders. They are the exact opposite of the approach we took for eight years to cut taxes and create a record surplus....
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Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD – The Navy’s MQ-9 Reaper test squadron at Pax River received the first SkyTower II (STII) pod in preparation for the system’s initial operational capability (IOC) next year. Air Test and Evaluation (UX) 24 loaded the new pod onto the aircraft Feb. 25, conducting initial power on...
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On March 18th, 2025, Governor Wes Moore announced a new partnership with Work for America to advance the Moore-Miller Administration’s initiatives to support federal workers. Through Work for America’s Civic Match talent matching platform and targeted recruitment, experienced federal workers and public servants will have more targeted connection to state and local government jobs. “This new...
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Communities surrounding NAS Patuxent River and Webster Outlying Field are advised that nighttime noise-generating testing events are scheduled to take place March 18, 2025 from 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. As with all operations, NAS Patuxent River takes precautions to lessen the impact of testing activities on the community. For more information, call 1-866-819-9028
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Capt. Sarah Abbott assumed command of the Navy’s Precision Strike Weapons Program Office (PMA-201) from Capt. Richard Gensley during a formal change of command ceremony held Feb. 27 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO (U&W)), presided over the ceremony, which...
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Memorial Day: A Day to Remember the Fallen
Monday, May 26, 2025, is Memorial Day. This day is a national holiday, for remembering and honoring men and women, who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. Waterloo, New York, was declared the official birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966. The holiday had many origins,...
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