Originally Posted by
tdracer
Back to meadowrun's original question - there are two military airbases nearer that Portland - Joint Base Lewis McCord (outside Tacoma - very close to SeaTac) and Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (obviously on Whidbey Island, ~50 miles north).
However I don't believe any interceptor type aircraft are routinely based at those airbases.
Exactly - Whidbey Is. NAS houses patrol, SAR and electronic-warfare units. The EA-18 Growlers are fast and can carry AMRAAMs, but probably not on "scramble" status. Otherwise, P3C/EP-3E/P8 patrol types or helos.
McChord is an airlift/air-mobility base - C-17s