Theater Ballistic Missile Targets Programmatic EA, Vandenberg AFB, December 1997

203 Pages·2001·13.07 MB·English

Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
The Western Range comprises a broad area of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of
Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB), California. Functioning as the test area for space and
missile operations, the range includes a network of tracking and data gathering facilities.
The Theater Missile Defense (TMD) Extended Test Range Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS), completed in November 1994, analyzed the impacts of launching target
missiles from ships located in the Pacific Ocean and interceptor missiles from various
launch sites on Vandenberg AFB and the associated Western Range Candidate Test Area.
However, the Record of Decision signed on 21 March 1995 did not select Vandenberg AFB
as a site for TMD testing because sea-launch capabilities were not available and additional
test instrumentation would be required. Vandenberg AFB is now being considered for
launches of small, liquid and solid propellant, mobile theater ballistic target missiles, such
as the Lance, HERMES Target System, PATRIOT as a Target (PAAT), Black Brant IX, Two-
stage (or DR-2) Terrier, Terrier/Orion, Castor I, and STRYPI II, and larger rail-launched
missiles such as the Storm, ARIES, and Hera target missiles. Details of these missile
systems are provided in section 2. The base offers a large area of operation, has a proven
safety record, and provides the capability to perform a wide range of missile intercept
testing. Target launch capabilities need to be added to allow Vandenberg AFB to support
U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army operations in the Western Range. This
Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzes the impacts of launching target missiles from
various sites on Vandenberg AFB with intercepts by defensive missiles over open ocean
areas and will summarize, where applicable, the conclusions reached in the TMD Extended
Test Range EIS.
Test Program Activities
The missiles proposed for use as targets have already undergone flight testing and are
currently available.
The small target missiles could be launched from mobile launchers located at any of the
following locations on Vandenberg AFB:
! North Vandenberg AFB
– Group A: Launch Facility (LF)-06, LF-07, LF-09, LF-25, LF-26
– Group B: LF-21, LF-22, LF-23, LF-24
– Group C: Test Pad-01; Rail Garrison Peacekeeeper; Advanced Ballistic
Re-entry System (ABRES) A, sites 1, 2, 3; 576-E

TBM Targets EA es-1
edaw/6V025/exsum/11/21/97