San Jose Opens $19.1M Police Air Support Hangar

The new 11,000-square-foot facility at San Jose Mineta International Airport houses the city's police aircraft and replaces two hangars that were 65 years old.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Air Travel

Wide view of a plain pale metal aircraft hangar with an open door and a small helicopter inside, on a flat airport apron under clear sky. — San Jose completed a $19.1 million hangar at Mineta International Airport for its police Air Support Unit, replacing two 65-year-old hangars. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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San Jose has completed a $19.1 million aircraft hangar for the Police Department's Air Support Unit at San Jose Mineta International Airport. The project replaces two 65-year-old hangars and houses an Airbus H125 helicopter and a Kodiak 100 fixed-wing aircraft.

Why it matters

The Air Support Unit's new home consolidates police aviation assets in a modern facility with electric vehicle charging and office space. The city's investment reflects a decision to favor a fixed-wing aircraft for longer flight times and lower maintenance needs.

The 11,000-square-foot hangar has two hangar bays, and the Kodiak 100 offers airborne endurance of up to eight hours. The city bought the Kodiak 100 in 2025 for $3.8 million, replacing a Cessna taken out of service in 2018.

The players

San Jose Police Department

The San Jose Police Department operates the Air Support Unit and oversees the aircraft housed in the new hangar.

San Jose Mineta International Airport

San Jose Mineta International Airport is the city's primary commercial airport and the site of the new police hangar.

The details

Funding came from Measure T, a bond measure voters approved in 2018 for infrastructure, public safety and disaster preparedness. The project also included new security fencing, landscaping for rainwater runoff management and paving, and was completed after a two-year construction period marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

2018: Voters approved Measure T bond funding for the project.
2018: The Cessna aircraft was taken out of service for safety reasons.
2025: The city purchased the Kodiak 100 for $3.8 million.
Late October 2026: A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked completion of the hangar.

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Roadmap

The city's selection of a Kodiak 100 fixed-wing aircraft over a helicopter reflects a preference for longer airborne endurance and lower maintenance costs. The choice positions San Jose's Air Support Unit toward fixed-wing surveillance rather than rotary-wing operations.

Travelers using San Jose Mineta International Airport may notice construction and facility changes on airport grounds, though the hangar is used by police rather than passenger operations. Residents interested in public safety spending can review how Measure T bond funds were allocated across city projects.

The takeaway

Public safety infrastructure can serve multiple roles, and the choice of aircraft type reflects trade-offs between endurance, cost and surveillance capability. San Jose's investment shows how bond-funded projects can modernize aging municipal facilities.