VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facilities, Virginia Capes (FACSFAC VACAPES) operates a 24/7 facility at NAS Oceana. The Navy’s 247th birthday reminds these sailors of the hard work they do each day.
“This is a communications hub for the East Coast,” said FACSFAC VACAPES Commander Jeff Sweitzer.
“We’re here 24/7 for a reason,” said Air Controlwoman 2nd Class Melanie Amweg.
Amweg has a constant eye on the skies.
“For the safety of air traffic, we’re here," she said. "That’s quite literally what our job is. Our first priority is safety.”
FACSFAC VACAPES supports homeland defense and provides surveillance to assigned airspace, operating areas, and training ranges encompassing 112,000 square miles. They watch from the sea to the sky stretching from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, to Charleston, South Carolina.
FACSFAC VACAPES, also known as “Giant Killer”, provides air traffic control for more than 80,000 sorties operating in their special-use airspace. Additionally, our Operations Specialists deconflict over 10,000 surface and subsurface events per year, including missile exercises, Unit Level Training, NASA rocket launches, gunnery evolutions, or underwater detonation drills.
“We’ve been the conduits to provide fleet training throughout the years that FACSFAC VACAPES has been here,” Commander Jeff Sweitzer said.
Sailors here say their love and appreciation for the Navy grows each year. They said the Navy’s birthday is a day to reflect on its tradition.
“It just kind of reiterates everything that I joined for and how long I’ve been working,” said Air Controlwoman 1st Class Sherly Poma.
“We bring up what started the Navy, when did we get founded, why we were founded. It brings us back to the fundamentals of what the Navy means,” Amweg added.
FACSFAC VACAPES also provides a critical link between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Defense to assist with search and rescue efforts if necessary.