PRESERVING RANGES & AIRSPACE

A Tactical Perspective

Airspace challenges• Military Training “vs” Renewable Energy• Renewable Energy Impacts

– Military mission– Economy

• Balancing need for renewable energy with military readiness– Ensure adequate ranges/airspace to support readiness– Compatibility for safe realistic training/test

Centennial Range

Holloman AFB

Ft. Bliss

White Sands Missile Range Complex

Red Rio /OscuraRanges

Space Port

Regional Airspace Defined

Airspace 10,000 Sq/nm

San Antonio Loop 410 by comparison121 Sq/nm

Regional Airspace Projected Routes

Specific Challenges• Range ≠ Base

– “local” community military affiliation– “Base approach” for Ranges/Airspace

• Impacts– Safe realistic Low-level / Night flying– Helicopter Operations– Bombing Ranges– Test Missions– Electromagnetic, Radar, Glare, Interference– Terminal procedures (TERPS)– Aircraft Noise / Sonic Booms– Land Use (Joint Terminal Air Controllers)– Spectrum and Frequency challenges/GPS

Mission Growth• 4000 missions in 2009• 8000 sorties per year

– Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA)– New fighter missions

• Airspace utilization challenges– 12+ RPAs, 14 hour sorties per day– 14+ F-16s 4 times a day

• Army Mission– 120 Helicopters and RPAs – Combat Air Brigade

• Space Port (Virgin Galactic)– Requires large airspace

Key Points• Mission Growth = Competing Interests

– Test and Training must continue concurrently– Air Force, Army, Navy, Joint, DoD– Large A/G range access requirements

• The DOD Airspace in New Mexico– BEST training/test Proving Ground in the U.S – Important to stay engaged

Proper Planning• Team Composition

– DoD/HAF/MAJCOM/WG Leadership/OPS– CE/Public Affairs/Safety/Legal/Environmental

• Purpose– Communication– Synchronize Efforts

• Efforts– Define Requirements– Assess impact for all cooperating agencies

QUESTIONS?