Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth, formerly known as Carswell Air Force Base, is located several miles northwest of downtown Fort Worth and was originally established in 1941.1 The installation provides joint training capability and resources to enable warfighter and combat readiness, while simultaneously providing for the personal and family needs of personnel during training.2
It is home to 40 commands, including
Notably, these commands include 13 logistics squadrons that accrue more than 40,000 hours of flight time each year. The installation also hosts the 301st Fighter Wing, a Reserve unit with over 2,000 personnel.
The Fort Worth installation is a significant hub for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (LMCO) and owns Air Force Plant 4, which LMCO uses to manufacture military aircraft.4 LMCO has approximately 49,000 combined direct and indirect workers in Fort Worth and generates a regional economic impact in Fort Worth of $9 billion.5 In Texas, LMCO has 25,579 direct employees and generates $17 billion in sales6.
As of 2025, this installation is home to 4,553 direct employees, including 2,175 active-duty military personnel. It also has 40,000-plus military retirees accessing the installation, camp facilities and resources. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts estimates the population directly affiliated with NAS JRB Fort Worth contributed at least $4.6 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
| Contribution | Value |
|---|---|
| Total direct employment9 | 4,553 |
| Total employment (direct & indirect)10 | 21,266 |
| Output11 | $4,656,000,000 |
| Gross domestic product12 | $2,750,000,000 |
| Disposable personal income13 | $2,156,000,000 |
Source: Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI) - model for Texas
The Comptroller’s economic impact analysis represents a conservative estimate of the importance of the Fort Worth installation to Texas. Each installation’s distinctive characteristics contribute to the Texas economy in different ways. This analysis uses a consistent model to determine the impact of each of the state’s military installations on the state’s economic growth.
| Contribution | Value |
|---|---|
| FULL-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE | |
| Active-Duty Army | 13 |
| Active-Duty Navy | 943 |
| Active-Duty Air Force | 137 |
| Active-Duty Marine Corps | 762 |
| Active-Duty Coast Guard | 0 |
| Active-Duty-National Guard/Reserve | 320 |
| Full-Time Employees Not Listed Elsewhere | 0 |
| FULL-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL | |
| Appropriated | 582 |
| Non-Appropriated | 347 |
| PART-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE | |
| Army Reserve | 373 |
| Navy Reserve | 3,044 |
| Air Force Reserve | 1,340 |
| Marine Corps Reserve | 1,312 |
| Coast Guard Reserve | 0 |
| PART-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL | |
| Appropriated | 0 |
| Non-Appropriated | 0 |
| OTHER | |
| Contractors, Total (staff) | 235 |
| Average Daily Student Load | 30+ |
| TOTALS | |
| Total Direct FTE Employment | 4,553 |
| Number of Dependents | 7,681 |
| Total Indirect FTE Employment | 16,713 |
Source: Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth