Abstract ID: 11626

Title: Dugway as the MRTFB Chem Bio Activity (Paper)

Abstract Text: National T&E Infrastructure This paper will present factual information. As the MRTFB chem bio activity, Dugway Proving Ground has unique test infrastructure vital to the success of the national defense mission. In 1971, DoD recognized that large military test facilities represented national assets and established the Major Range and Test Facility Base (MRTFB) management concept. The MRTFB is a set of test installations, facilities, and ranges selected because of unique test and evaluation (T&E) assets needed to ensure proper T&E support for U.S. Military weapon systems developers. Members include installations from the Services, as well as the Joint Interoperability Test Command and range cooperatives. Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), located in Utah, was selected as the MRTFB activity for testing chemical and defense systems. In addition, Dugway performs nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) contamination survivability testing of defense materiel. Such testing requires an extensive T&E infrastructure able to support a wide range of testing needs and Joint testing requirements. Dugway Proving Ground consists of 798,214 acres of Great Basin terrain ranging from level salt flats, to intermittent sand dunes and rugged mountains. Adjacent U.S. Air Force gunnery and bombing ranges extend Dugway’s restricted airspace to an area of about 90 miles by 70 miles and up to an elevation of 58,000 feet. A large portion of this acreage is used for field testing and consists of several test grids. Test grids are designated areas where outdoor field testing of CB detection systems, IPE and ColPro systems, and munitions are performed. Grids include remotely-controlled simulant dissemination systems, referee instrumentation, a data network, and a management system to acquire, integrate, analyze, fuse, and visualize data during testing. Wi-Fi tower sites provide fiber optic transmission of real-time test data throughout the test grids. DPG infrastructure includes the Reginald Kendall Combined Chemical Test Facility (CCTF) and the Lothar Salomon Life Sciences Test Facility (LSTF). The CCTF is used to support chemical testing and evaluation of individual protective equipment (IPE), collective protection equipment (ColPro), masks, detectors, chemical contamination survivability, and decontamination systems on small items of equipment. The LSTF features 1, 2, and 3 (BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3) laboratories and is designed to test biological detectors, individual protective clothing and equipment, decontamination systems, and materiel survivability in biologically-contaminated environments. In addition to laboratories and test ranges, DPG houses specialized facilities such as the Melvin Bushnell Materiel Test Facility (MTF), the Active Standoff Chamber (ASC) and the Joint Ambient Breeze Tunnel (JABT). The MTF is designed for indoor testing of large-scale military vehicles and equipment with chemical agents and CB simulants (vapor and aerosol). This state-of-the-art facility provides testing under realistic environmental conditions along with the capability to perform complete decontamination operations. The ASC provides a controlled, static environment to test and evaluate CB standoff detection systems prior to field testing and the JABT is capable of challenging laser-based detector and point detector systems with a controlled, dynamic cloud under ambient environmental conditions. Variable pitch fans create field-like conditions to generate wind speeds up to 6.0 m/s (13.42 mph). Michael Army Airfield features a lighted 11,000 X 150-foot runway for departures and 10,000 feet for landings, a 9,000-foot taxiway, and a 20,000- square-foot hangar, flight operations, and ground support personnel. The airfield is equipped to handle commercial and military aircraft. In addition, Dugway Proving Ground is co-located with the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR), which includes 7,954 square miles of restricted air space, to 58,000 feet, including 1,299 square miles under DPG control.