A JOINT TESTING AND TRAINING APPROACH
U.S. Armed Services Test and Train Using Joint Atlantic and Chesapeake Range Cooperative.
by Chris Watson and Mark Rindler
In 1995, the Atlantic Test Ranges component of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), in Patuxent River, Md., began exploring the feasibility of using its research, development, test and evaluation complex to enhance naval aviation operator training through dialogue with commander Naval Air Forces Atlantic and commander in chief Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) staff. By the end of 1996, the scope of this effort expanded to include Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force training—making it a true joint effort. Also in 1996, the Army’s Aberdeen Test Center and Fort A.P. Hill were asked to provide their respective resources in support of these efforts and thus became the nucleus, along with CINCLANTFLT N7, of what was known as the Chesapeake Regional Ranges Cooperative (CRRC).
The CRRC was originally formed as a diverse cooperative with the objective of providing training support to the joint operational forces. The increased communications and synergy between these diverse organizations led to other cooperative efforts. By leveraging off of each member’s resources and capabilities, the CRRC began providing test support in addition to training services. To further support U.S. Department of Defense operational requirements, experimentation and interoperability testing were added to the CRRC’s goals and objectives.
In 2007, new members from outside of the Chesapeake region showed interest in becoming members and a new memorandum of agreement was signed. Because of this expansion, the group’s name changed to better reflect the group’s “joint” testing and training objectives. The collective group is now called the Joint Atlantic & Chesapeake Ranges Cooperative (JACRC). Each respective member organization maintains valuable resources, capabilities and expertise that, when combined, provide a support mechanism to the armed forces that is unparalleled.
The NAVAIR’s Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Patuxent River is a designated DoD Major Range and Test Facility Base (MRTFB) and operates and maintains a world-class test and evaluation infrastructure in support of naval aviation acquisition programs. Most notable are the Atlantic Test Ranges (ATR), a high-tech open-air range facility, and the Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility, a model and simulation-based installed systems test facility. The ATR range and laboratory capabilities include real-time connectivity to Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, Virginia Capes (FACSFAC VACAPES) and the NASA Wallops Flight Center, tracking instrumentation diversity (fixed and portable), real-time telemetry processing and display (fixed and portable), targets diversity (fixed and portable), mobile integrated air defense system simulators, and range support aircraft.
The Army’s Aberdeen Test Center (ATC), Md., is one of the most diverse and rigorous test sites in the department. Also an MRTFB, the ATC tests a broad spectrum of military weapons systems and equipment. As a multi-purpose proving ground, with a moderate climate, its primary mission is to plan, conduct, analyze and report on projects supporting all phases of weapons development and acquisition including surveillance and operational tests for DoD and other government agencies, foreign governments, as well as private industry.
Fort A.P. Hill, Va. is one of the largest DoD ground/air training installations on the East Coast. Since World War II, its 76,000 acres of ranges and maneuver areas have allowed the services to prepare for every major deployment. It is one of the nation’s premier, all-purpose, year-round, field training destinations. Fort A.P. Hill provides realistic joint and combined arms training support focused on ensuring the success of operational forces in the 21st century operational environment. Fort A.P. Hill possesses more than 30 separate training facilities that include infantry lanes, drop zones, assault landing strips, and much more. The 27,000-acre live-fire range complex features 40 direct firing ranges, 15 demolition sites and 50 indirect firing positions. The computerized infantry squad battle course was the active Army’s first in the continental U.S. The new 7,000-meter multi-purpose range features the latest in radio-controlled targets and computer scoring. Well-maintained ranges, computerized operations and scoring, and a dedication to meeting training customer needs make Fort A.P. Hill’s live fire range operations among the finest in the nation.
The NAVSEA Combat Direction Systems Activity (CDSA) serves the fleet as a tenant command at Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex, Virginia Beach. The command’s geographic location and balanced work force enables CDSA Dam Neck to be the only NAVSEA command that serves the Navy fleet and coalition forces jointly with collaborative distributed technology. CDSA Dam Neck is the Fleet’s advocate for issues in joint command and control. Although the command is small, CDSA, Dam Neck’s geographic location, unique facilities, talented work force and strong customer focus has made CDSA Dam Neck a recognized leader in joint and coalition testing and training. CDSA Dam Neck’s unique location is within 30 minutes of 50 percent of the Navy’s largest fleet concentration area, the headquarters for the U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) (three of four JFCOM component commanders are located in the Hampton Roads area) and the only NATO command on U.S. soil.
U.S. Fleet Forces Command (FFC) (N73)—Fleet Live Training Support, located within the Readiness Directorate of Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, validates all Navy live training support requirements and executes funding that supports ranges, instrumentation, targets and infrastructure required to prepare and sustain deployable naval forces. FFC N73 collaborates and ensures compliance with federally-mandated environmental laws and regulations that impact live training activities, leverages modeling and simulation efforts to enhance Navy readiness, liaises with JFCOM and other commands to integrate live training support for all the services and coalition nations for integrated fleet training exercises. FFC N73 is executive agent for the Navy’s Range Office (OPNAV N433) that includes validation of existing and future acquisition programs and out year funding requirements for FFC, Commander, Naval Europe and Commander Pacific Fleet live training support budgets.
As designated by the Office of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) is DoD’s sole joint interoperability certifier. JITC is the operational test agency for the Defense Information Systems Agency and responds directly to the agency’s chief of staff. JITC is also an MRTFB, allowing it to extend its test resources and certification processes directly to other federal government agencies, the private sector and the nation’s allies. JITC also provides extensive expertise during all combatant commander exercises and operational contingencies, supporting both U.S. and coalition forces. As a member of the JACRC, JITC assists in providing a streamlined test and evaluation process to program managers and the acquisition community in the Chesapeake region and beyond.
NUWC Newport is the Navy’s fullspectrum RDT&E, engineering and fleet support center for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, and offensive and defensive weapons systems associated with undersea warfare. NUWC Newport provides high-quality, affordable RDT&E, in-service engineering, and total life cycle support for a wide variety of the Navy’s undersea warfare systems and capabilities. NUWC Newport is also responsible for the Atlantic Undersea Test & Evaluation Center (AUTEC) which is an MRTFB. The AUTEC deep water weapons range lies roughly parallel to the east coast of Andros Island, Bahamas. It is the largest and most versatile of the AUTEC ranges, and it is capable of tracking up to 63 in-water objects simultaneously. The NAVSEA Surface Combatant Systems Center (SCSC) supports the AEGIS and ship’s self defense system programs by providing a maritime environment to conduct realistic fleet engineering and training events. SCSC support encompasses cruisers, destroyers, carriers and amphibious ships. The SPY phased-array radar coverage extends 190 degrees over water to cover operating areas in the Atlantic City, Patuxent River and VACAPES complexes. SCSC is located on the Atlantic coast at the NASA, Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va. SCSC test and training operations are conducted on Wallops Island in numerous buildings which are configured through a complex switching system that supports multiple user projects and reconfiguration to represent all AEGIS and SSDS operational ships.
The NAVSEA’s Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) is one of the Navy’s principal research, development, and test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support activities for surface warfare, surface ship combat systems, ordnance, strategic systems, amphibious warfare, mines and mine countermeasures, and amphibious and special warfare systems. The NAVSEA Carderock Division has a very comprehensive set of technical capabilities to support its mission. These capabilities cover all aspects of surface ship and submarine hull mechanical and electrical systems and cross all life cycles. The division supports ships from keel to masthead and from cradle to grave. The Carderock Division’s technical capabilities were developed to support Navy and military requirements. Many of these capabilities are equally applicable to commercial ships. The legislation establishing the division specifically requires it to “provide support to the Maritime Administration and maritime industry.”
One of the JACRC’s newest members is JFCOM’s Joint National Training Capability (JNTC) and hopes to leverage off of the collective group’s assets as it broadens its existing joint training infrastructure. With the addition of JACRC member resources, the JNTC enhanced training capability will offer live, virtual and constructive training in the air, sea and on land. The training is intended to span the full range of current joint tasks while ensuring that the training system supports required improvements in joint warfighting capabilities. As a foundation of DoD’s Training Transformation program, JNTC has the potential to be viewed as a new training infrastructure.
The NASA Wallops Flight Facility, located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, is NASA’s premier site for suborbital and small orbital flight projects. Wallops also conducts earth science research and range and suborbital systems technology development, in addition to being home to NASA’s only owned and operated launch range. Wallops’ permanent facilities support NASA’s sounding rocket, balloon, and airborne science programs. Wallops also performs and manages network tracking and telemetry support of NASA’s low earth orbiting satellites, space station and shuttle using on-site and mobile communications, telemetry and radar facilities.
In June 2007, the Fort Pickett-Maneuver Training Center (FPMTC) was unanimously welcomed into the JACRC. With over 35,000 acres of available maneuver training area in Virginia’s piedmont physiographic province, the FPMTC consists of diverse terrain with few environmental constraints. It offers the best in both mounted and dismounted infantry training. Open upland savannas, with rolling contours and patches of cover, lend themselves effectively to both mounted and dismounted operations. Three platoon sized lanes have been developed offering “open/ broken” terrain, typically intermixed with patches of forest. Terrain is being managed to closely resemble the eastern European theater. While the facilities at Pickett are geared to train military personnel and units, non-military organizations use them as well.
The JACRC has forged a relationship with the Joint Gulf Range Complex (JGRC) to provide an even more comprehensive means of supporting the requirements of the armed services. The JGRC consists of ranges and facilities on or near the Gulf of Mexico. JGRC members include the United States Air Force (USAF) Air Armament Center, USAF 46th Test Wing, NAVSEA Coastal Systems Station Panama City, and the Army Aviation and Missile Command. The JACRC and the JGRC have combined their respective resources to help synchronize regional infrastructure investments for optimum support in the Atlantic Region.
The JACRC continues to support the joint forces extensively throughout the Atlantic region through traditional acquisition and specialized training support. Other examples of JACRC support of training include: USN/USAF aerial mining exercises, unique training for special forces, continued training support from the unit up through the advanced levels such as the Combined Joint Task Force Exercises and a vast array of other related readiness support. The strategic partnerships between the respective members of the JACRC coincide with initiatives established by the director, Operational Test & Evaluation and the under secretary of Defense, Personnel & Readiness in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for increasing the cross-service utilization of DoD testing and training ranges.