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Langley Air Force Base (LFI/KLFI) is a United States Air Force installation located in Hampton, Virginia, on the Virginia Peninsula near the Chesapeake Bay. Established in 1916, it is one of the oldest continuously active military airfields in the United States and serves as the headquarters of Air Combat Command (ACC). In 2010, Langley merged with the U.S. Army's Fort Eustis to form Joint Base Langley-Eustis.
💡 Local Tip
If you happen to be visiting the nearby Virginia Air & Space Science Center in downtown Hampton, you can view historic artifacts from both NASA Langley and the Air Force base, including a full-size Apollo 12 capsule and a replica of the Langley Aerodrome—a piloted flying machine designed by Samuel Langley in 1891.
🚖 Getting There
The base is located off Interstate 64 and U.S. Route 258 (Mercury Boulevard) in Hampton, providing easy road access from Norfolk, Newport News, and Williamsburg. Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF) is the nearest commercial airport, roughly 10 miles to the west. Taxis and ride-share services operate in the Hampton Roads area, but visitors to the base must obtain proper authorization before arrival.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Langley Air Force Base open to civilian travelers?
A: No, Langley AFB is a military installation and does not offer commercial passenger service. Access is restricted to authorized military personnel, their families, and approved visitors.
Q: What military units are stationed at Langley?
A: Langley is headquarters for Air Combat Command (ACC) and hosts the 1st Fighter Wing, which operates F-22 Raptor aircraft.
Q: What is the base named after?
A: The base is named after Samuel Pierpont Langley, a 19th-century aviation pioneer, astronomer, and secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
Q: What notable facility is adjacent to the base?
A: NASA's Langley Research Center, one of the nation's oldest civilian aeronautical research laboratories, sits directly adjacent to the base.
AI-generated content · Generated Jun 29, 2026 · MiniMax-M3