Military Bases & Facilities
Newfoundland Armed Forces
Military Bases & Facilities
Strategic installations across Newfoundland and Labrador.
Overview
The Newfoundland Armed Forces operate a network of strategic installations across the Republic, from naval bases protecting our maritime sovereignty to air stations securing our airspace and Arctic approaches. These facilities support homeland defence, NATO operations, and allied partnerships.
Royal Newfoundland Navy Bases
His Majesty’s Naval Bases (HMNB) provide homeport, maintenance, and operational support for the Royal Newfoundland Navy.
His Majesty’s Naval Base Argentia
Location: Argentia, Avalon Peninsula
Role: Primary naval headquarters, Atlantic Fleet homeport, ship maintenance and refit facility
Established: 1941 (US Navy), transferred to RNN control 1972
Units: RNN Fleet Command, Naval Operations Centre, Argentia Naval Dockyard
His Majesty’s Naval Base St. John’s
Location: St. John’s Harbour
Role: Capital naval station, coastal patrol operations, harbour defence
Established: 1949
Units: Coastal Defence Squadron, Maritime Training Centre
His Majesty’s Naval Base Corner Brook
Location: Corner Brook, West Coast
Role: West coast naval operations, fisheries patrol, search and rescue coordination
Established: 1978
Units: Western Patrol Group, Maritime Search and Rescue Centre
His Majesty’s Naval Base Nain
Location: Nain, Northern Labrador
Role: Arctic naval outpost, northern patrol support, sovereignty operations
Established: 2018
Units: Arctic Patrol Detachment, Northern Maritime Operations
Royal Newfoundland Air Force Stations
RNAF Stations provide air defence, maritime patrol, transport, and training capabilities across the Republic.
Royal Newfoundland Air Force Station Gander
Location: Gander, Central Newfoundland
Role: Strategic airfield, maritime patrol operations, intelligence and surveillance, trans-Atlantic support
Established: 1938 (civilian), military operations since 1939
Units: 404 Maritime Patrol Squadron (NF-140 Aurora II), Gander Intelligence Station, Air Traffic Control Centre
Historical Note: Primary WWII ferry command hub, RAF and RCAF operations
Royal Newfoundland Air Force Station Goose Bay
Location: Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador
Role: Arctic Air Command headquarters, strategic airlift, NATO training range, fighter operations
Established: 1941 (RCAF), transferred to RNAF 1972
Units: Arctic Air Command HQ, 432 Arctic Wing, Strategic Airlift Group (NC-130 Hercules II), NF-39 Gripen interceptor squadron, NATO Training Range
Historical Note: Major WWII/Cold War strategic base
Royal Newfoundland Air Force Station Stephenville
Location: Stephenville, West Coast
Role: Fighter training, search and rescue, maritime support
Established: 1941 (USAAF Ernest Harmon AFB), transferred to RNAF 1966
Units: 103 Search and Rescue Squadron (NH-149 Cormorant II), Air Combat Training Centre
Historical Note: Former US Army Air Forces base
Royal Newfoundland Air Force Station Torbay
Location: Torbay, near St. John’s
Role: Capital region air defence, quick reaction alert, helicopter operations
Established: 1950
Units: 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron, Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), helicopter detachment
Newfoundland Army Garrisons
Army garrisons are named after distinguished officers of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment who served in the First World War.
Fort Hadow, St. John’s
Named After: Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Lovell Hadow, first Commanding Officer of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment (1914)
Location: St. John’s
Role: Army headquarters, capital garrison, ceremonial duties
Established: 1949
Units: Newfoundland Army HQ, 1st Newfoundland Brigade Combat Team, Royal Newfoundland Regiment (ceremonial), Military Police
Fort Rowley, Goose Bay
Named After: Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Rowley, DSO, commanding officer who led the Regiment after Beaumont-Hamel
Location: Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador
Role: Northern garrison, Arctic training, Labrador defence
Established: 1973
Units: 2nd Infantry Battalion, Arctic Warfare Training Centre, Northern Operations Command
Fort Forbes-Robertson, Grand Falls-Windsor
Named After: Lieutenant-Colonel James Forbes-Robertson, who commanded the Regiment at Beaumont-Hamel (July 1, 1916)
Location: Grand Falls-Windsor, Central Newfoundland
Role: Central garrison, training facility, logistics support
Established: 1985
Units: Combat Training Centre, Logistics Support Base, Reserve Force Training
Specialized Facilities
Argentia Cyber Defence Centre
Location: Argentia
Role: Cyber Defence Command headquarters, Six Eyes intelligence operations, network security
Established: 2008
Operated By: Cyber Defence Directorate
Gander Intelligence Station
Location: Gander
Role: Signals intelligence, electronic warfare, satellite communications
Established: 1950s (Cold War), modernized 2010s
Operated By: Cyber Defence Directorate, RNAF
Nain Forward Operations Station
Location: Nain, Northern Labrador
Role: Arctic surveillance, logistics hub for northern patrols, sovereignty operations
Established: 2018
Operated By: Joint operations (Army, Navy, Air Force)
Historical Bases
Several major military installations established during WWII by the United States and Canada later transferred to Newfoundland control:
- Argentia Naval Air Station (1941-1994): US Navy base, returned to Newfoundland control and now HMNB Argentia
- Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Stephenville (1941-1966): USAAF/USAF base, became RNAF Station Stephenville
- Goose Bay Air Base (1941-1976): Built by RCAF, NATO operations continued, full sovereignty restored 1976, now RNAF Station Goose Bay with continued NATO training access