The NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida, will be expanded, with additional office and hangar space.
Located at Lakeland Linder International Airport, the operation center serves as the main base for NOAA’s fleet of nine environmental data-gathering aircraft including three ‘hurricane hunter’ aircraft.
Under the 20-year lease terms, the City of Lakeland will expand the facility from 99,000ft2 to 156,043ft2 including additional office and hangar space to accommodate new aircraft that NOAA is acquiring.
Rear Admiral Michael Silah, director of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, said, “With an expanded facility in Lakeland, our highly skilled NOAA Aircraft Operations Center team and the aircraft they operate, manage and maintain will be better able to support NOAA and the nation.”
Gene Conrad, airport director, Lakeland Linder International, said, “Our community and airport are proud of the mission that the NOAA AOC team performs on a year-round basis, and we look forward to supporting them in that mission for the next 20 years.”