Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility Boardman

The purpose of the proposed action is to achieve and maintain military readiness using NWSTF Boardman to support and conduct current, emerging and future training and testing activities, while enhancing training resources through investment. The proposed action is needed to provide a training environment, consisting of ranges, training areas and instrumentation, that is able to fully support required training activities.

The U.S. Navy, in cooperation with the National Guard Bureau and the Oregon National Guard, is proposing several actions to ensure critical training and testing requirements are met and to ensure that NWSTF Boardman continues serving as a vital training resource. These actions include:

• Maintain baseline training and testing activities at current levels.
• Increasing certain training activities from current levels to support the Navy and Oregon National Guard requirements.
• Developing appropriate ranges and facilities, as necessary, to support training requirements.
• Accommodating mission requirements associated with force structure changes and introduction of new weapons systems for training.
• Implementing range enhancements.

Three alternatives will be evaluated in an Environmental Impact Statement to help determine the appropriate level and type of training and testing activities for the Navy and Oregon National Guard to accomplish the needs outlined above.

Under the No Action Alternative, training activities and major range events within NWSTF Boardman would continue at current levels. This alternative provides a baseline for assessing the potential environmental impacts of Alternative 1 and Alternative 2.

Training activities currently conducted at NWSTF Boardman include the following:

• Anti-Air Warfare Training  - Low-Altitude Tactical Training, and Surface-to-Air Counter Tactics
• Electronic Combat Training  - Electronic Attack and Electronic Support
• Strike Warfare  - Air-to-Ground Bombing Exercises, Air-to-Ground Gunnery Exercises, and Air-to-Ground Missile Exercises (captive-carry events only)
• Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations
• Equipment and Personnel Insertion and Extraction Training
• Training Helicopter Training Operations (Low-Level Training Flights, Hoisting Operations, Sling-Load Operations, and Austere Landings and Take-Offs)
• Live Fire Range Operations (marksmanship and small arms training) and Dismounted Maneuver Training (Maneuver to Contact Live-fire Training)
• Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Training

Alternative 1 is a proposal designed to meet Navy and Oregon National Guard current and near-term training requirements. In addition to training activities currently conducted, this alternative proposes an increase in the number of training activities to include force structure changes associated with the introduction of new weapons systems, vehicles and aircraft. Specifically, Alternative 1 proposes to:

• Establishment and use of additional Military Operating Area to the northeast of existing NWSTF Boardman airspace
• Increase current levels of training activities
• Conduct training activities associated with force structure changes for:
  
  • New aircraft, including:
    
    • EA-18G Growler
    • F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
    • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • New weapons systems, including:
    
    • Air-to-ground weapons
  • New instrumentation technology
• Implement range enhancements, including:
  
  • Construction and operation of a Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range (MPMGR), with a heavy sniper lane, and associated support facilities
  • Construction and operation of a Digital Multi-Purpose Training Range (DMPTR) and associated support facilities
  • Construction and operation of an eastern Convoy Live Fire Range (CLFR)
  • Construction and operation of a Demolition Training Range (DTR)
  • Construction and operation of a UAS Training and Maintenance Facility and joint-use Range Operations Control Center with small airstrip
  • Designation and establishment of a Drop Zone to accommodate parachute operations of personnel and small-medium sized equipment (Containerized Delivery Systems

Alternative 2 is also designed to meet current and near-term training requirements. Alternative 2 would include all training and range 1 enhancement elements of Alternative 1. In addition, Alternative 2 proposes to:

• Establishment and use of three mortar firing positions
• Construction and operation of a second, western, CLFR
• Construction and use of a joint-use Range Operations Control Center (separate from the UAS facility)