Military Installation Soft Spots

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Military Installation Soft Spots
Project Update for the Governor's Military
Affairs Commission
Kevin O'Berry Arizona Commanders
Summit Coordinator
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ACS Focus is Sustainment
Promulgate an environment of cooperation among
all Arizona military installations to better
sustain military facilities, ranges and airspace,
and ensure the highest possible level of training
operations

• Air and ground encroachment
• Environmental concerns
• Native American relations
• Range and airspace utilization
• Range enhancement programs
• Community relations
• Any other issues of common concern

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Critical Elements Overview

• Soft Spots study originated with GMAC
• Installations tasked to determine core mission
  essentials
• Identify problem areas
• Vulnerabilities "Soft Spots"
• Enable strategic planning toward mission
  sustainment
• ACS elected to facilitate task

• Critical Elements
• Core operational mission elements
• Fundamental to the purpose of the installation
• Susceptible to pressures external to the
  installation
• May change over time

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External Pressures

• Encroachment - land or airspace
• Interference to air routes and communications
• More rapid resource depletion (water)
• Light pollution
• Public safety
• Hazard zones
• Weapons safety footprints
• Quality of life
• Noise complaints
• Sonic booms
• Frequency spectrum competition
• Environmental compliance
• RCRA, CERCLA, CAA (water, superfund, air sheds .
  . .)

Encroachment Types
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Critical Elements Color Criteria

• GREEN Mission capable. Little or no impact to
  operations. Minor restrictions may exist.
  Work-arounds are available. Few, if any,
  resources required for mitigation.
• YELLOW Mission capable, with restrictions. Up
  to moderate impact to operations occur on a
  regular basis. Regular restrictions exist that
  may require significant planning/resources for
  mitigation.
• RED Mission failure and loss imminent. Severe
  restrictions exist that prevent operations to the
  degree required. Action required to develop and
  implement mitigation measures.

• Current and Forecast status indicators
• Current is 0 2 years out
• Forecast is beyond 2 years

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Soft Spots - 1
CURRENT (0 to 2 yrs) FORECAST ( gt 2
years)

• Luke AFB The ability to fly instrument
  approaches at Luke Aux-1 airfield

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Soft Spots - 2
CURRENT (0 to 2 yrs) FORECAST ( gt 2
years)
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Luke AFB Aux-1

• 15 Miles NW of Luke AFB
• Established in 1941
• 1105 Acres
• 400 DoD owned
• 705 leased

• Instrument approach training
• 13,000 approaches/year
• Reduces congestion at Luke
• Enhances safety
• Reduces relative noise

Aux-1
Luke AFB
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Aux-1 Airfield "Footprint"

• 10,000 acres within high noise and accident
  potential zones
• Unincorporated land
• Half is privately owned

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Aux-1 Sustainment Issues

• External pressures
• Incompatible development within high noise and
  accident potential zones
• Unchecked growth will result in closure of Aux-1
• Mitigation History
• City of Surprise General Plan amendment
• Land use restrictions in "airport preservation
  areas"
• Governor's Military Task Force recommendations
• Provide protections to Aux fields
• HB 2141 2140
• Permissible land uses in high noise and accident
  potential zones
• Military Installation Fund
• Current snapshot
• Growth continues in high noise and accident
  potential zones
• Examining associated legal issues

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D-M AFB Airfield Ops

• 355 WG 3 x A-10 SQ / AATC
• 563 RQG MC-130 / HH-60
• 305 RQS HH-60

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D-M Airfield Sustainment

• External Pressures
• Non-compatible development inside the 65 Ldn
• Noise complaints
• Safety Concerns
• Empowerment of Military Community Compatibility
  Committee (MC3) which provided operational and
  regulatory change recommendations to the state,
  county, city and the DoD via D-M AFB
• Mitigation History
• City of Tucson adoption of airport Environs Zone
  land use codes
• Joint Land Use Study (JLUS)
• Departure corridor land acquisition
• D-Ms enaction of MC3 recommendations creating
  new Military Community Relations Committee (MCRC)
• Current Snapshot
• MCRC establishes an "unchartered" ability for
  Tucson citizens to directly influence the future
  viability of D-M's missions and operations

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Low Altitude Tactical Navigation (LATN) Areas
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LATN Sustainment Issues

• Crucial to A-10 pilot training and A-10 Combat
  Aircrew Readiness
• "Train as you fight" concept
• Emulates combat employment operations
• External Pressures
• Land development under LATN areas requiring
  creation of noise sensitive area restrictions
• Mitigation History
• Regulatory operational procedure - Avoid all
  people, livestock, buildings and vehicles by 1/2
  mile and 1,000 feet
• In addition - Establishment of "no-fly" noise
  sensitive areas
• 2 4 mile radius and up to 10,000 feet
• Current Snapshot
• Number of "no-fly" areas continues to increase

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Florence MilitaryReservation (FMR)
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FMR Sustainment Issues

• Importance
• More individual training at home, vice
  mobilization locations
• Reduces costs and keeps soldiers at home longer
• External Pressures
• Residential development causing noise/dust
  sensitive areas
• Mitigation History
• Not required FMR was out in the "boonies"
• Buffer areas established through state lands
  leasing
• Current Snapshot
• Limited ability to influence future use of state
  lands
• Lease costs escalating

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Silverbell Army Heliport

• WAATS AH-64A
• 1/285 AH-64D
• Peace Vanguard AH-64D

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WAATS Training Areas
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Silverbell Army Heliport

• Major helicopter training site
• Environment provides highly realistic combat
  training
• External Pressures
• Residential growth around Silverbell and in
  training areas
• Will hinder ability to depart to the northwest
• Light pollution impacting night vision goggle
  training environment
• Increased flight activity at Pinal Airpark
  causing congestion and safety concerns
• Mitigation History
• Engagement with local jurisdictions
• Current Snapshot
• Growth and development continuing
• Noise complaints expected to increase
• Class D airspace with control tower desired for
  safety of flight

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Conclusions

• Commonalities
• Installations training areas originally far
  from urban areas
• Incompatible development creates quality of life
  issues
• Noise impact
• Safety concerns
• Residential encroachment will continue
• Civilian developments should be buffered from the
  military mission
• Military footprint and impact will grow with next
  generation weapons systems

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Questions or Comments?
It is up to us, now, to lay the foundation for
future sustainment of Arizonas military
institutions