MAFR OMS Site Visit Information Pamphlet.pdf

MELROSE AIR FORCE RANGE

USAF AFSOC 27

SOAOS/RMO

Description of MAFR Facilities, MAFR Training Areas, Maneuver Areas, Ranges, Administrative Areas, Other Range Resources

Air Force Special Operations Command

301 S. Chindit Bldg 790 Cannon AFB, NM 88103

Commercial 575.784.1422

DSN 681.1422

2 / 0 5 / 2 0 2 1

Entry Control

The entry control building (ECB) is the introduction to users to Melrose Air Force Range (MAFR). At the ECB, users sign in to our personnel accountability system, Who’s on Location, for personnel tracking.

This cloud based system enables us to know instantly who is on the range in the event of an emergency or range evacuation. The ECB clerk checks to make sure the visitor has a valid reason for being on the range, if they have a mission number, and are they authorized to traverse the range unescorted. This is the first security measure we have on the range. After users sign in, they get a safety brief on the hazards of the range and local procedures. They will be issued a radio, a GPS tracker, and laser eye protection if needed. From the gate they proceed to the Range Support Complex (RSC) which is our free movement area.

The RSC is the center of the range maintenance functions. It has the main maintenance building, the electronic systems (not Electronic Warfare) and admin building, the Landing Zone/Drop Zone (LZ/DZ) building, and temporary fire bunkhouse trailers. A new fire facility is underway that is not part of this effort. Contract personnel inhabit all of these areas. Contractors share space with government workers in the electronic systems/admin building and the bunkhouses.

Also within the RSC is the Permanent Exercise Facility (PEF). This has a fire truck storage building (not maintained by this contract), mission rehearsal facility, sanitary latrine, and joint ops planning facility.

You will also notice a mockup of a forward operating base, an area to house trainees and stage their training out of. When the PEF is occupied for training, it is not accessible for through vehicle traffic.

Training Area 1 Alpha (TA-1A) includes Red Horse LZ and DZ. Red Horse LZ is a 5000’ x 90’ (surveyed) dirt runway to accommodate tactical landing training. Up to C-130 Capable. Red Horse DZ is a 1000 yard radius drop zone for personnel only that overlays Red Horse LZ

Wilderness HLZ is an improved surface HLZ. This is the only HLZ that has an improved surface for landing rotor wing aircraft. Maintenance of the HLZ surface is not part of this effort but the area immediately around it is for weed and invasive plant mitigation. Typically this is done by mowing but may include spraying herbicide.

The Driving Course is a range resource to train users on driving military specialty vehicles over different types of terrain and obstacles that they may encounter in different environments. It includes traversing inclines at various angles, water crossings, barriers, and other tactical challenges.

Training Area 4 Delta (TA-4D) is a MOUT site that is primarily used for Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training. It provides the opportunity for ambush and a small village environment for SERE and other training.

Sprint HLZ/AIE Structures are an arrangement of containers to present an obstructed HLZ as a battlefield atmospheric. The containers permit rotor wing aircraft to train alternate insertion and extraction in a simulated urban environment. This is not a MOUT and training inside the structures is not permitted.

Training Area 4 Alpha (TA_4A) is designed primarily for operations incorporating survival, escape, resistance and evasion (SERE), small team tactics in direct action, convoy escort, and pattern of life development. Live fire is not permitted within the Southwest MOUT itself or the surrounding area.

The site is composed of ~50 sea-land shipping containers forming 32 separate buildings of which 1 is multi-story. Additional features include civilian vehicles arranged throughout the village, a derelict helicopter, fencing, as well as cultural atmospherics. The one multi-story building is for Cannon AFB SERE use only.

Training Area 4 Bravo (TA-4B) Spirit OP facility is designed primarily for operations incorporating small team tactics in direct action, convoy escort, and pattern of life development, with access via a single road. Live fire is permitted into targets in the Spirit impact area. The site is composed of an access maze and a 4 story 40’ observation tower.

Spirit South impact area is a live fire, dudded impact area for up to 105mm gunnery. 141 targets are placed within the confines of the impact area. The targets consist of various unarmored vehicles, artillery pieces, aircraft and armored vehicles. Within the area there are numerous structures simulating multi story buildings, a bridge, a mountain village and a cave complex. The sea and land containers that comprise many of the simulated structures are not targets.

The laser boresight board is an 8x8 ft board set at a 45 degree angle facing north to accommodate a flight profile of north-to-south run-in. A laser camera is located just north of the board facing east and provides video to a technician at the B&G. The camera is fixed and cannot be slewed or zoomed during operation. It is designed to detect laser designators at 1064nm, but the full range of detection is 900-1700nm. Video can be recorded and provided to user upon request.

The Spirit Center Inert Bombing and Gunnery Range contains 101 targets within a conventional and tactical range. Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) potential does exist.

Spirit North Impact area is currently under reconfiguration

Electronic Warfare - GECCO: MAFR’s Ground Electronic Combat Control Operations (GECCO) offers a broad spectrum of conventional and unconventional threat emitters including Multiple Threat Emitters (MUTEs), Smokey SAMs, and a communications-emitting vehicle.

MUTES: Located at the Main Site on top of the Mesa. The MUTES provides the greatest array of threats that GECCO can emulate. Early Warning, Height Finders, AAA, SAMs and a small handful of AI &AAMs are available. Multiple threats can be brought up simultaneously, with some exceptions.

Mini MUTES: Up to 8 Pedestals are located throughout the MOAs and outlying areas. The Mini MUTES can emulate the same types of threats as the MUTES, but on a smaller scale.

TRTG: MAFR has 2 TRTGs located at the Main Site on top of the Mesa. The systems are Capable of emulating an SA-8 Target Tracker or a Gun dish and can be defeated by jamming or chaff. Systems are mobile and may be moved to pre-authorized locations with proper coordination.

SMOKEY SAMs Both IR MANPAD electronic threat warning stimulators and GTR-18A Smokey SAMs are Available with prior coordination. Smokey SAMs have a max altitude of approximately 1800 ft AGL, and are subject to fire danger restrictions.

LEAM Truck:

The LESM truck is a HMMWV with MX-11485U mounted on top. The sensor provides an auditory tone on UHF 290.4 when laser energy is detected. It also triggers a visual red and green light mounted on top of the vehicle, as well as an IR beacon.

Battlefield Communications Simulation System:

The BCSS provides communications simulations to support DoD Training exercises. It provides a wide variety of base band analog and complex digital communications signals. The system is fully mobile and consists of a full-size GMC Yukon SUV with roof mounted antennas. Applications include signal disruption, jamming and foreign language transmission.

Jockey Impact Area 90 targets are placed within the Jockey Impact Area. The targets consist of various wheeled/armored vehicles and artillery pieces. Within the area there are numerous structures simulating multi story buildings, a bridge, and multiple revetted armored vehicles. The containers that comprise many of the simulated structures are not targets. Crews will ensure weapon accuracy (tweak/weapons check) prior to attempting to engage targets in close proximity to simulated structures

Jockey Vertical Target

Range 5:

40 Infantry Target lifter pits and 6 Vehicle Lifter pits. 4 GPS robots, 1 remote controlled MotoShot robot, and various static targets (wood or plastic). Units will coordinate with the contracted range personnel for scenario development and target emplacement. Mortar Point 1 (MP-1) is associated with this range. Simultaneous ground and indirect fire is NOT permitted. MP-1 will NOT be occupied when ground fire is conduct on Range 5.

Training Areas and MOUT Sites

TA-3E

TA-3D

TA-3C Border Checkpoint

TA-3B Gotham City

TA-3A Village Market

TA-2C Gas Station

TA-3F Bobcat LZ/El Dorado DZ

Dirt Landing Zones 6000’x 35' and 5875'x 60', Drop Zone Complex, Helicopter LZ. A dirt road (Lynx) off of Sundale Valley road is used to access this Training Area

Range 7 – In Work – a static 15-lane non-contained small arms 100m qualification range currently in development. SITS and static targets will be primarily used on this range for small arms. This range also includes a range officer tower, three target storage shipping containers, a gravel parking area, a trash dumpster, and bleachers

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