economy

Texas Military Installations, 2025 Naval Air Station Corpus Christi

Background

Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi was established in 1941 and at the time of its inception was the only primary, basic and advanced training facility in the United States and the largest pilot training facility in the world.

• NAS Corpus Christi is headquarters to the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA).¹ CNATRA oversees the training operations throughout the Southeast Region, stretching from Texas to Florida and, in 2025, graduated 1,009 new naval aviators, 234 naval flight officers and 11 aerial vehicle pilots.²
• The largest tenant at NAS Corpus Christi is the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD). CCAD occupies 171 acres and is the largest industrial employer in South Texas, as well as the U.S. Army’s largest helicopter repair, overhaul and maintenance center.³

• NAS Corpus Christi is home to Training Air Wing Four (TRAWING 4), one of five training air wings under CNATRA. TRAWING 4 has been training military pilots since 1972; it comprises approximately 800 officers and enlisted personnel and more than 180 aircrafts.⁴ The 18-month-long TRAWING 4 training program produces approximately 600 new aviators each year.⁵

• The Corpus Christi component of the Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command and two Marine Aviation Training Support Groups and a reserve component also are housed at the base.⁶

Economic Impact

As of 2025, this command is home to a total of 7,110 direct employees, including 1,917 active-duty military personnel. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts estimates the population directly affiliated with NAS Corpus Christi and resident Navy Exchange contributed at least $4.2 billion to the Texas economy in 2025.⁷

The Comptroller’s office and the Texas Military Preparedness Commission collected economic data from each of the state’s 14 U.S. military installations. This data was collected using a survey designed to ensure consistency in determining the total direct and indirect contribution of the base’s populations to state-level employment, gross domestic product, output and disposable personal income (Exhibit 1).⁸

Exhibit 1:
Estimated Total Contribution of NAS Corpus Christi to the Texas Economy, 2025

Contribution	Value
Total direct employment9	7,110
Total employment (direct & indirect)10	20,530
Output11	$4,206,032,000
Gross domestic product12	$2,569,609,000
Disposable personal income13	$1,425,494,000

Source: Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI) - model for Texas

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The Comptroller’s economic impact analysis represents a conservative estimate of the importance of NAS Corpus Christi to Texas. Each installation’s distinctive characteristics contribute to the Texas economy in different ways. This analysis uses a consistent model to determine the economic impact of each of the state’s military installations on the state’s economic growth.

Exhibit 2:
Employment and Other Populations

Contribution	Value
FULL-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Active-Duty Army	7
Active-Duty Navy	1200
Active-Duty Air Force	0
Active-Duty Marine Corps	300
Active-Duty Coast Guard	0
Active-Duty National Guard/Reserve	410
Full-Time Employees Not Listed Elsewhere	0
FULL-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
Appropriated	3,689
Non-Appropriated	277
PART-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Army Reserve	0
Navy Reserve	0
Air Force Reserve	0
Marine Corps Reserve	0
Coast Guard Reserve	0
PART-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
Appropriated	0
Non-Appropriated	23.4
OTHER
Contractors, Total (staff)	1,204
Average Daily Student Load	600
TOTALS
Total Direct FTE Employment	7,110
Number of Dependents	1,503
Total Indirect FTE Employment	20,530

NAS Corpus Christi

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