Rhode Island is the smallest state, but it carries a big role in the military. The state is home to one major active installation, Naval Station Newport, plus Air National Guard and Coast Guard units. The Navy leads the way here, with Newport serving as one of the service's top sites for education and training. Whether you are PCSing to Rhode Island (Permanent Change of Station, the military term for an official move to a new duty station), thinking about a move, or just curious about military history, this guide gives you a clear overview of the key military bases in the state.
Overview of Military Installations in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's military mission is centered on education, training, and research. Naval Station Newport, on Aquidneck Island, is the Navy's premier site for professional education and officer training, and it hosts a long list of tenant commands. The state also supports a C-130J airlift wing in the Air National Guard and Coast Guard units that patrol Narragansett Bay and the New England coast. Together these commands keep many military families moving in and out of the Newport and East Bay area each year on PCS orders.
Active Military Bases in Rhode Island
- Naval Station Newport (Aquidneck Island)
- Quonset Air National Guard Base (143rd Airlift Wing, North Kingstown)
- U.S. Coast Guard units in Narragansett Bay (Sector Southeastern New England and Station Castle Hill)
Navy Bases in Rhode Island
Naval Station Newport
Naval Station Newport sits on Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay and is the Navy's premier site for professional education and training. It is not a fleet port for ships and submarines. Instead, it is a hub of schoolhouses and research commands that develop officers, sailors, and the technology they use. Because so many of the people who train here come from across the fleet, the base hosts a wide list of tenant commands. The most important ones are described below.
Key Missions:
- Professional military education for senior officers
- Officer training and accession programs
- Surface warfare training and undersea warfare research
Learn more on the official Naval Station Newport tenant commands page and the Naval War College page on CNIC.
U.S. Naval War College
The U.S. Naval War College was established in Newport in 1884 and is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. It educates and develops leaders from all of the U.S. services, government agencies, and partner nations. More than 50,000 students have graduated since its first class, and a large share of today's active-duty admirals, generals, and senior executives are alumni. Its programs prepare leaders for the demands of operational and strategic command.
Key Missions:
- Professional military education for senior leaders
- Research on war, strategy, and statesmanship
- Education for U.S. and international officers
Read more on the U.S. Naval War College website and the Naval War College history and campus page.
Officer Training Command Newport
Officer Training Command Newport (OTCN) develops civilians, enlisted sailors, and newly commissioned officers and prepares them for service in the fleet. It runs five separate officer accession and indoctrination programs. The best known is Officer Candidate School (OCS), a 13-week course that gives candidates a working knowledge of the Navy and Marine Corps and readies them to serve as naval officers. OTCN also runs Officer Development School, the Seaman-to-Admiral program's Naval Science Institute, and a school for Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers.
Key Missions:
- Officer Candidate School and officer commissioning
- Officer accession and indoctrination programs
- Damage control, firefighting, and swim qualification training
See the official Officer Training Command Newport page.
Surface Warfare Schools Command
Surface Warfare Schools Command (SWSC), headquartered in Newport, prepares officers, enlisted sailors, civilians, and international students to serve aboard surface ships. It is a learning center under Naval Education and Training Command and oversees learning sites worldwide. SWSC readies sailors to serve on surface combatants as officers, enlisted engineers, and enlisted navigation professionals, and it uses advanced combat simulators to train surface warriors to "fight the ship."
Key Missions:
- Training for surface warfare officers
- Training for enlisted engineers and navigation professionals
- Simulator-based combat and tactical training
Learn more on the Surface Warfare Officers School Command page and the Surface Warfare Schools Command site.
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport
The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport is the Navy's full-spectrum research, development, test, and evaluation center for submarines and undersea systems. Its work covers submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea weapons, and countermeasures. NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station founded on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Today it is one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island.
Key Missions:
- Research and development for submarines and undersea systems
- Engineering for undersea weapons and countermeasures
- Test, evaluation, and fleet support for the undersea force
See the official NUWC Division Newport page on NAVSEA and the NUWC Newport tenant command page.
