Combat Controllers from the 20th Special Forces Group, 3rd Battalion, 20th Operations Detachment Alpha, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., use a variety of night vision devices to direct fire from an AC-130U Gunship at the Tonopah Test Range, Nevada on July 25, 2002, during Millennium Challenge. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. John Houghton) [Original web page here.]
Note the gent on the left. .The point on the optical system where it makes a jump is the erecting prism. Normally an eyepiece is inserted behind the erecting prism, but this set up has some additional hardware, which I suspect is an image intensifying tube.
So you think nothing ever happens at the TTR. Well, if you were there on November 20, 1996, you would have seen a B2 flying and a missile test. This assumes you could have waited in the cold long enough for something to happen.
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The OST (Office of Secure Transportation) moves nuclear material by either truck or airplane. This document lists the Tonopah Test Range as one of their "test" facilities.
The photo below is the same area as seen from Mojo Mound..
Satellite photo of the area:
A map of the area in the photo.
Use the water tower to "connect" these maps.
(click the map above for a larger image)
Telescope storage? Hey, maybe they are looking at the lookers.
In the photograph below, note the tower (about midway down and towards the far right) as a reference point.
The T nomenclature just denotes where soil test were performed.
This map was found in a document related to cleaning up some fuel contamination. It does have some one tiny bit of interesting information on it, namely the direction of the "target flight line". It's not clear what the "target" refers to , but it may be any plane under test as often you see planes doing loops, i.e. flying over this path with multiple passes, or perhaps the missile under test.
The public viewing spots are either from the area just above the upper right corner near Silverbow Springs, or from a hill just north of the main gate. The "Operation Roller Coaster" areas, labeled Clean Slate 1, 2, and 3, are areas where plutonium was spread in a manner not unlike the so-called dirty bomb, though that was not the intent of the experiment at the time.. Clean slate site 1 has been cleaned up, i.e. the radioactive soil removed and buried elsewhere. It appears that the remaining site are scheduled to be cleaned up. If I was offered a tour of the area, I would suggest rolling up the windows when driving on Cedar Pass Road next to Clean Slate 2. Note that is a heavily traveled route.
Don't confuse "area" markings on the TTR with the same "area" designations of the NTS. That is, area 10 on this map is not the same as the NTS area 10.
A few links with information on Operation Roller Coaster:
http://www.nv.doe.gov/programs/envmgmt/blackmtn/ERSoilsProject.htm
http://www.nv.doe.gov/news&pubs/publications/historyreports/doenv209&317/317abstract.pdf
I bet you didn't know the nice paved road that you drive to get to the main gate is called Sandia Drive. Well, now you do. Cedar Pass Road goes clear to the ET Highway, though most of it is restricted.
Contraves are the photographic tracking stations use to monitor tests.
You say you can't find any Depleted Uranium on Ebay. Is that what's troubling you? Well, here is a good stash, though you will need more than a perfect feedback rating on Ebay to get into this area.
The Colimbo site was where the jet fuel burning experiments were to be performed, but the project appears to have been cancelled. Now why would the government want to know the effects of burning jet fuel on things oh like steel building girders....
Hint: the hotline does not refer to temperature.
The next two images are detailed maps that will require the dejavu plug-in from www.lizardtech.com to view. Note that you can use the zoom feature and the "hand" to pan around the map.
map1 This map has the most road names out of all the maps I could find. Thunderbird Road caught my eye, as well as Patrol Road. Note the Radiation Hazard areas and the live fire ranges. You know, it's a good thing this place is fenced off. ;-)
map2 This map has more detail on the targets. One target appears to be labeled "drone" target, but it's hard to tell.
| NAME | COORDINATES (NAD83) |
| IT45 | N37 43 17.5 W116 49 06.8 |
| IT46 | N37 43 16.7 W116 49 03.1 |
| IT47 | N37 43 16.0 W116 48 58.9 |
| IT48 | N37 43 17.7 W116 48 57.7 |
| IT49 | N37 43 19.4 W116 49 05.7 |
| IT50 | N37 43 17.7 W116 48 57.3 |
NEDS stands for Nonviolent Explosive Destruct System. Yes, both bad grammar and an oxymoron at the same time.
Note the mention of the 554 Range Squadron Operation and Maintenance Complex. A few of the 554th Range group patches can be found here.
Screen dump from the Tonopah Test Range tracking radar
The image below is basically a blow-up of the "meat" of the image above. The track shown (CP) might be that of the aircraft under test. I've seen B1's make loops over the range that were easily 40 minutes between passes, perhaps to allow the base time to process the data.
From DOE incident reports:
History of the Tonopah Test Range
Request for quote for some road repair machine. Nothing to get excited about, though the equipment could be used at Groom Lake for all we know.
http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2001/12-December/07-Dec-2001/FBO-00000880.htm
DESC: This is a combined Synopsis/Solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this Notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation: proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation F26600-02-Q-B007 is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation is being conducted under Simplified Acquisition Procedures, FAR Part 12. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-01 Class Deviation 2001-o0002. The Standard Industry Classification (SIC) for this solicitation is 5082. The North American Industry Classification System is 421810 with a size standard of 100 employees. This solicitation is set aside for small business. This requirement is 100% reserved for small business. The item description is as follows: This requirement is to purchase the following, three line items, the quantity for each is one: CLIN 0001 250 HP Diesel Melter, designed for large projects; CLIN 0002 Auto Loader; CLIN 0003 Compressor. Delivery is to FOB destination. The destination address is: DET 1/CC Tonopah Test Range, Tonopah, NV 89049. The on-site point of contact is LtCol Scarine at (702) 652-4247. The requested delivery date is: 28 Feb 01. Note: The delivery driver must be a U.S. Citizen. The Price Schedule, Offeror Representations and Certifications and Past Performance Reference List will be released on the Federal Government Electronic Posting Systems EPS) site, http://eps.gov.
This is a quote request for crappy shipping containers. Since the DOD doesn't buy crappy anything, I suspect the shipping containers were to be hacked up to resemble buildings and then uses as targets on the Nellis ranges.
http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2003/07-July/10-Jul-2003/FBO-00366849.htm
Line Item 0003: Quantity 100 each Conex containers. The container shall meet the following required specifications: (1) Shall be used containers, constructed with steel. (2) Doors are not essential. (3) A modicum of rust is acceptable as are small holes no more than 6 inches in diameter. (4) Container shall be structurally sound, able to stand on end and support other sea land containers stacked on top. (5) Container size shall be 8'-0 wide x 8'-6 inch high x 40'-0 long. Line Item 0004: Shipping; Containers in Line Item 0003 shall be delivered to Tonopah Test Range, Tonopah, NV 89049. Containers shall be delivered by 31 July 2003
This photograph is of a target on Range 61 as seen from Tikaboo Peak. They look like shipping containers and note some are stacked. The windows are probably just hole cut in the sides with cutting torches.
From ADVANCED SKILLS TRAINING COURSE, Mission Qualification Training (MQT):
At MQT, students learn the skills encompassing mission planning that includes various types of orders, planning considerations, ST Intel support capabilities, and use of Falcon View mission planning software. They will use this planning process during every full Mission Profile (FMP).
Students also receive classes on the history, purpose and detailed planning consideration required to successfully execute a full blown airfield seizure. They learn how to build bike-bundle packages and conduct a day Jump Clearing Team operation. A night airfield seizure FMP is conducted with 5-8 fixed and rotary wing aircraft at OLF Choctaw, FL or Tonopah Test Range, NV, followed by a detailed aircrew/instructor debrief.
| Facility Name: | US AIR FORCE/99ABW/EM, TONOPAH TEST RANG |
| Location Address: | SET 6,T02,S46E |
| Supplemental Address: | |
| City Name: | TONOPAH |
| State | NV |
| County Name: | NYE |
| ZIP/Postal Code: | 89049 |
| EPA Region: | 09 |
| Congressional District Number: | |
| Legislative District Number: | |
| HUC Code: | |
| Federal Facility: | YES |
| Federal Agency: | U.S. AIR FORCE |
| Tribal Land : | NO |
| Latitude: | |
| Longitude: | |
| Method: | |
| Reference Point Description: | |
| Duns Number: | |
| Registry ID: | 110013794180 |
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Scramble Database - Query Results
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You searched for Serial = '82-0008' The query
returned 1 record(s)
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| Serial | Code | Type | CN | Unit | Status | First | Last | Comment |
| 82-0008 | OT | F-15C-33-MC | 818/C239 | 422nd TES | w/o | oct96 | jun99 | w/o 15jun99 |
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Scramble Database - Query Results
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You searched for Serial = '79-0013' The query
returned 1 record(s)
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| Serial | Code | Type | CN | Unit | Status | First | Last | Comment |
| 79-0013 | ED | F-15D-26-MC | 615/D024 | 445th FLTS | w/o | nov92 | jun99 | 'Spike' feb95, w/o 15jun99 |