Arrow System Improvement Program Environmental Assessment 24 October 2003 U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command P.O. Box 1500 Huntsville, Alabama 35807-3801 ARROW SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ARROW PROGRAM OFFICE OF THE MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY AGENCY: Arrow Program Office (APO) of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact BACKGROUND: The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, on behalf of the Arrow Program Office (APO) of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), has prepared the attached Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the potential environmental consequences of conducting missile intercept flight tests as part of the Arrow System Improvement Program (ASIP) at a U.S. test range. The ASIP is focused on designing, implementing, and testing improvements to the Arrow Weapon System (AWS) necessary to ensure system effectiveness against advanced, long-range threats. This EA is only analyzing the flight test portion of the ASIP in the United States, as well as the necessary facility modifications and construction required by the proposed testing. Proposed testing, as currently conceived, would consist of four missile intercept tests divided between two series, or “caravans,” of two tests each. This EA has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended; the Council on Environmental Quality regulations that implement NEPA (Code of Federal Regulations [CFR], Title 40, Parts 1500-1508); Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 4715.9, Environmental Planning and Analysis; the applicable service regulations that implement these laws and regulations (32 CFR Part 651 [Environmental Analysis of Army Actions] and Army Regulation 210-20, Master Planning for Army Installations); and Executive Order 12114, Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions. The purpose of ASIP is to enhance the operational capabilities of the AWS to defeat emerging ballistic missile threats, including longer-range missiles and countermeasures. In addition, ASIP would enhance the capability of the AWS to operate with deployed U.S. missile defense systems. The purpose of this EA is to examine the environmental effects of this improvement program, the current AWS, and the improved AWS, during a series of flight tests, including a more challenging and realistic test configuration than allowed by the Israeli geography and test range safety limitations. The development program and associated flight tests would provide phenomenology and technology data for potential use in developing U.S. missile defense systems. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION: The Proposed Action is to conduct intercept flight tests of the AWS at the Naval Air Systems Command Weapons Division–Point Mugu Sea Range (hereinafter Point Mugu Sea Range) 1 with the AWS interceptor launched from San Nicolas Island. San Nicolas Island is owned and operated by the U.S. Navy. Flight test scenarios would include various short- and long-range threat representative target missiles launched from the open Pacific Ocean area using the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP), Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB), California, and/or an air launched platform flying in the area of the Point Mugu Sea Range. The AWS radar would be located at San Nicolas Island or Naval Base Ventura County–Point Mugu Main Base (hereinafter Point Mugu). Two options for the AWS deployment at Point Mugu Sea Range are currently being investigated and evaluated. The first option is described as a “split deployment.” In this case, the Arrow Command and Control Area, consisting primarily of the Arrow Fire Control Center (FCC) and Fire Control Radar (FCR) elements, would be located on the mainland of Point Mugu. The Arrow Launcher area elements, consisting of the Launcher Control Center (LCC), mobile launcher, and interceptors, would be located on San Nicolas Island. The second option would entail the whole AWS being positioned on San Nicolas Island. In both options, the Arrow interceptors would be launched from San Nicolas Island to accommodate personnel and facility safety considerations. Currently two caravans of tests are planned in the United States over a period of 4 years. Caravan 1, currently planned to begin in fiscal year 2004, would consist of two flight tests necessary to evaluate the baseline AWS against threat representative target missiles under conditions that cannot be implemented in Israel due to range size and safety limitations. Caravan 2, currently planned for calendar year 2007, would also consist of two flight tests and would focus on evaluation of the AWS upgrades and system enhancements developed after the previous tests. The Arrow interceptor would be launched from San Nicolas Island for all flight tests. For U.S. Flight Test 1 (USFT-1), the target missile would be a liquid-fueled target system (LFTS) launched from either the MLP in the Point Mugu Sea Range or Vandenberg AFB. For USFT-2, the target would be a modified Short Range Air Launch Target (SRALT). Target launch locations would include Point Mugu Sea Range. For USFT-3, the target missile would be a Long Range Air Launch Target (LRALT). Should alternative target missiles become available before USFT-3, this EA would be reevaluated and appropriate environmental documentation would be prepared. Target launch locations would include Point Mugu Sea Range. USFT-4 would be a multiple engagement scenario. Target missiles could include a combination of the following: an SRALT launched within Point Mugu Sea Range; an LRALT or alternative target missile launched within Point Mugu Sea Range; and an LFTS launched from the MLP or Vandenberg AFB. 2 The Arrow interceptor missile is a two-staged vehicle launched from a six-pack mobile launcher. The missile contains approximately 1,670 kilograms (3,600 pounds) of solid rocket propellant in the booster. The interceptor with the propellant has a hazard classification of 1.3 and consists of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), ammonium perchlorate, and aluminum powder. The interceptor also contains an optical (infrared) seeker and a radar sensor. The payload includes a focused blast-fragmentation warhead, with a hazard classification of 1.1D. Combined, the Arrow interceptor missile with its payload has a hazard classification of 1.1. It is controlled through aerodynamic and thrust vector control and contains a flight termination system. The towable FCR is an L-band phased-array radar with search, acquisition, track, and fire control functions configured in four vehicles (power, cooling, electronics, and antenna). The FCC is a mobile shelter in which battle management functions are performed. The LCC is a mobile shelter that provides a communication interface between the FCC and the Arrow launcher. Its primary function is to enable monitoring of launcher and missile status, and it also provides missile maintenance and diagnostic capabilities. The LCC can support operations at remote distances from the FCC. Additional support facilities such as a missile assembly building and Test Mission Control Center would also be required. The AWS would be transported to the Point Mugu Sea Range from Israel (and subsequently returned to Israel) by a contracted commercial sea-carrying vessel and/or commercial air transport. The FCR antenna array and Arrow interceptors would most likely be transported separately by a cargo aircraft from Israel directly to the test range. Ground transportation would then be required from the seaport and/or airfield over existing roads to appropriate storage and staging facilities at the test range. It is possible that the entire AWS could be transported by commercial sea vessel. However, final determination of the transportation plan is highly dependent on selection of specific project sites and available transportation modes at the launch and support locations. After arrival at the test range, the Arrow launcher would be placed on the launch pad or a hard-packed earth surface and the interceptors would be placed in an approved storage facility. Before each planned test flight, the interceptor would be transported from the storage facility to the ordnance or missile assembly building and prepared for flight. Final assembly and inspection requirements would take place at the assembly building and on the launch pad. Missile impact zones would be confined to open areas at sea. After the second flight test of each caravan, the AWS equipment would be dismantled and packed for shipment back to Israel. The LFTS is a single stage, liquid-fueled missile that uses a main liquid fuel, an oxidizer, and an initiator fuel for vehicle motor ignition and propulsion. It has an inertial guidance system and a non-separating high-explosive payload. The LFTS 3 proposed for testing has a maximum range of approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles). The LFTS has a Flight Termination System that is activated by shutting off the flow of fuel, which terminates the flight vehicle’s thrust. The LFTS would be launched from the sea-based MLP or Vandenberg AFB. LFTSs with different payloads were successfully flight tested in the Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (formerly known as the U.S. Army Kwajalein Missile Range) in 1997 and from Vandenberg AFB in 2002. The MLP is a converted U.S. Navy helicopter carrier, retrofitted to allow for missile storage and launches and could be used to launch LFTSs. The MLP is a free-floating vessel that would be towed to position prior to testing. It would not be anchored to the ocean floor during launching. The MLP provides the test program the flexibility to launch targets where no ground launch sites are available, and to vary launch azimuths and ranges of targets to accommodate test objectives and safety considerations. MDA is preparing the MLP EA to address and analyze operations of the MLP, including launching of the LFTS. The EA is scheduled to be completed in March 2004. Launching of LFTS targets from the MLP for the ASIP program would be based on the analysis provided in the MLP EA.