The primary mission of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is to provide support as an operational base for MAG-31, which conducts and supports all active duty Marine Corps F/A-18 air operations on the East Coast. The mission of MAG-31 is to conduct anti-air-warfare and offensive air support operations in support of Fleet Marine Forces from advanced bases, expeditionary airfields, or aircraft carriers. The relationship between MCAS Beaufort and MCAS Cherry Point is a close one; aircraft and aircrews routinely shuttle between the two bases for operational and administrative missions.

MCAS Beaufort occupies 6,900 acres of the South Carolina low country. The air station also owns the 5,182-acre Townsend Range in McIntosh County, GA. Specific ranges aboard MCAS Beaufort include: EOD Demolition Range, Boresight Range, NBC Chamber (designed to train units in the use of CS gas and to develop confidence in the use of gas masks), and a Pistol Range.

MCAS Beaufort owns the Townsend Bombing Range in McIntosh County, Ga. Through an agreement with the Air Station, the Georgia Air National Guard manages and operates the day-to-day operations of the bombing range. The 5,182-acre Townsend Range is used routinely by all services to fine-tune the bombing skills of aviators. For the purposes of the UXOInfo.com inventory, the Townsend Range is captured under the Air National Guard Category.