The West Field was established on the site of the original Foley Municipal Airport that was constructed in the mid-1930s and leased by the U.S. Navy in 1942.

An adjoining parcel of 656 acres was also purchased by the Navy for construction of a similar, but not quite reverse, mirror image runway complex that would become known as the East Field.

Those plans subsequently came under heavy opposition by some residents who were worried about aircraft noise or losing homes and land in the process.

[8] In November 2011, starting with negotiations with the Foley City Council, the Navy began acquiring land parcels to expand NOLF Barin Field and military construction subsequently commenced in 2012.

[9] In November 2014, the Baldwin County Commission unanimously approved a land deal to enable the Navy to finally complete the expansion of the NOLF Barin Field runway lengths.