Ford Island Naval Auxiliary Landing Field

Military consolidation and redevelopment. The airfield was closed as part of a broader U.S. Navy realignment. Flight operations were consolidated at other regional airfields, such as Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay and the nearby Naval Air Station Barbers Point (which itself was realigned in the same year). The construction of the Admiral Clarey Bridge in 1998, connecting Ford Island to the mainland by road for the first time, facilitated the island's redevelopment for non-aviation purposes, including military housing, administrative centers, and historical preservation.

The site is no longer an active airfield. The runways and taxiways, though largely intact, are marked with large yellow 'X's indicating they are permanently closed to aircraft. The island is now a mix of historical preservation and active military use. The most prominent current use is the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, which is located in the historic Hangars 37 and 79. These hangars still bear the bullet holes and damage from the 1941 attack. The iconic control tower has been restored and is a central feature of the museum. Other parts of the island are used for U.S. Navy administrative offices, military housing, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Inouye Regional Center.

Ford Island's airfield holds immense historical significance, primarily due to its central role in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. At the time, it was known as Naval Air Station (NAS) Ford Island and was the heart of U.S. naval aviation in the Pacific. During the attack, the airfield and its aircraft (including numerous PBY Catalina patrol bombers) were primary targets. The hangars were strafed, and many aircraft were destroyed on the ground. The famous red-and-white checkered control tower, which still stands today, was a silent witness to the attack on the surrounding 'Battleship Row.' Despite the damage, the airfield was quickly repaired and became a critical hub for aircraft maintenance, repair, and training throughout World War II. It supported the Pacific Fleet's carrier operations and played a vital role in the ultimate Allied victory. After the war, it continued to serve as a naval air facility, though its importance diminished as jet aircraft required longer runways, leading to its eventual redesignation as a Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) before its final closure.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Ford Island airfield. The site's status as a National Historic Landmark, its current use for the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and its integration into the infrastructure of the Pearl Harbor naval base with housing and administrative buildings make its reactivation as an airfield highly impractical and undesirable. The focus is entirely on preserving its historical legacy rather than resuming aviation operations.