NORFOLK, Va. –
The Navy has released a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for replacement of 54 T-44C Pegasus with 58 new T-54A aircraft and the upgrade of ground-based training technologies at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas, collectively referred to as the Multi-Engine Training System (METS). The EA has determined that there will not be significant environmental impacts from this action, and has released a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).
The Navy will replace the T-44C aircraft that are over 40 years old and require upgrades to address existing training capability gaps. The T-44C fleet is nearing the end of its service life and has outdated avionics, limited availability of parts, and increased maintenance cost. The replacement of aircraft will provide advanced instrumentation for communication, navigation, and tracking aircraft health to facilitate maintenance planning and efficiency.
Flight operations will increase by approximately 10 percent, but personnel numbers will remain the same as current conditions. This action will take place at NAS Corpus Christi in Texas and its associated training locations at Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Cabaniss; at international, regional, and publicly owned municipal airfields; and in the Federal Aviation Administration’s National Airspace System throughout South Texas. To accommodate the new aircraft, short- and long-term construction projects for Navy support facilities at NAS Corpus Christi are required, including reconfiguring the interior of existing hangars.
No significant direct, indirect, or cumulative environmental impacts will occur from implementing this action. The EA prepared by the Navy is on file, and interested parties may obtain a copy by downloading the EA and the FONSI from the project website: https://www.nepa.navy.mil/mets/.