The federal government has approved $12 million in funding for critical repairs to the Blue Angels hangar at NAS Pensacola, as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R. 4016).
This funding is in addition to $3 million approved for improvements to South Navy Boulevard, which will bring significant enhancements to the corridor leading to the NAS Pensacola main gate.
“It’s another big day for NAS Pensacola, Escambia County, and District 2,” Escambia County District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler said. “Making these types of projects happen requires consensus building, presenting the issues honestly and strong leadership. I can't thank our federal leaders enough: Senator Rick Scott, Senator Moody, and Congressman Patronis. Thank you so much for caring about our bases.”
In addition to the $15 million for projects in Escambia County, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act also includes:
- A 3.8% increase in basic pay for military personnel
- $40.9 billion for DOD medical and healthcare programs
- $1.15 billion for counter drug programs
As a member of the Northwest Florida Defense Coalition, Commissioner Kohler will continue lobbying for additional Northwest Florida and Escambia County projects in Washington, D.C. next week, which includes advocating for the U.S. Coast Guard to select NAS Pensacola as their new training facility location, among other military and defense-related projects.
