2 Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives NORTHWEST TRAINING AND TESTING FINAL EIS/OEIS OCTOBER 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ..........................................................2-1 2.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE NORTHWEST TRAINING AND TESTING STUDY AREA ..................................................2-2 2.1.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE OFFSHORE AREA ................................................................................................... 2-5 2.1.1.1 Air Space ..................................................................................................................................... 2-5 2.1.1.2 Sea and Undersea Space ............................................................................................................. 2-5 2.1.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE INLAND WATERS ................................................................................................... 2-7 2.1.2.1 Air Space ..................................................................................................................................... 2-7 2.1.2.2 Sea and Undersea Space ............................................................................................................. 2-7 2.1.3 DESCRIPTION OF THE WESTERN BEHM CANAL, ALASKA............................................................................. 2-9 2.2 PRIMARY MISSION AREAS .......................................................................................................... 2-12 2.2.1 ANTI-AIR WARFARE .......................................................................................................................... 2-12 2.2.2 ANTI-SURFACE WARFARE .................................................................................................................. 2-13 2.2.3 ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE .............................................................................................................. 2-13 2.2.4 ELECTRONIC WARFARE ...................................................................................................................... 2-14 2.2.5 MINE WARFARE ............................................................................................................................... 2-14 2.2.6 NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE ................................................................................................................. 2-15 2.2.7 OTHER TRAINING ACTIVITIES .............................................................................................................. 2-15 2.3 DESCRIPTIONS OF SONAR, ORDNANCE/MUNITIONS, TARGETS, AND OTHER SYSTEMS EMPLOYED IN NORTHWEST TRAINING AND TESTING ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................... 2-16 2.3.1 SONAR AND OTHER ACOUSTIC SOURCES .............................................................................................. 2-16 2.3.2 ORDNANCE/MUNITIONS ................................................................................................................... 2-22 2.3.3 TARGETS ......................................................................................................................................... 2-27 2.3.4 DEFENSIVE COUNTERMEASURES ......................................................................................................... 2-28 2.3.5 MINE WARFARE SYSTEMS .................................................................................................................. 2-29 2.3.6 MILITARY EXPENDED MATERIALS ........................................................................................................ 2-31 2.4 PROPOSED ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................ 2-33 2.4.1 PROPOSED TRAINING ACTIVITIES ......................................................................................................... 2-33 2.4.2 PROPOSED TESTING ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................... 2-36 2.4.2.1 Naval Sea Systems Command Testing Events ........................................................................... 2-36 2.4.2.2 Naval Air Systems Command Testing Events ............................................................................ 2-40 2.5 ALTERNATIVES DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................................... 2-41 2.5.1 ALTERNATIVES ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION .................................................................. 2-42 2.5.1.1 Alternative Locations ................................................................................................................ 2-42 2.5.1.2 Reduced Training and Testing ................................................................................................... 2-43 2.5.1.3 Alternative with Temporal or Geographic Constraints within the Study Area ......................... 2-43 2.5.1.4 Simulated Training and Testing ................................................................................................ 2-43 2.5.2 ALTERNATIVES CARRIED FORWARD ...................................................................................................... 2-45 2.6 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE: CURRENT MILITARY READINESS WITHIN THE NORTHWEST TRAINING AND TESTING STUDY AREA ............................................................................................................................ 2-46 2.7 ALTERNATIVE 1: ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BASELINE AND ADDITIONAL WEAPONS, PLATFORMS, AND SYSTEMS .. 2-46 2.7.1 PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO BASELINE TRAINING ACTIVITIES .................................................................. 2-47 2.7.1.1 Anti-Air Warfare ........................................................................................................................ 2-47 2.7.1.2 Anti-Surface Warfare ................................................................................................................ 2-47 2.7.1.3 Anti-Submarine Warfare ........................................................................................................... 2-47 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES i NORTHWEST TRAINING AND TESTING FINAL EIS/OEIS OCTOBER 2015 2.7.1.4 Electronic Warfare .................................................................................................................... 2-48 2.7.1.5 Mine Warfare ............................................................................................................................ 2-48 2.7.1.6 Other Training ........................................................................................................................... 2-48 2.7.2 PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO BASELINE TESTING ACTIVITIES .................................................................... 2-49 2.7.2.1 Naval Sea Systems Command Testing Activities ....................................................................... 2-49 2.7.2.2 Naval Air Systems Command Testing Activities ........................................................................ 2-49 2.7.3 PROPOSED ADDITIONAL PLATFORMS AND SYSTEMS ............................................................................... 2-49 2.7.3.1 Aircraft ...................................................................................................................................... 2-49 2.7.3.2 Ships .......................................................................................................................................... 2-50 2.7.3.3 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Systems ................................................................................. 2-50 2.7.3.4 Unmanned Surface Vehicle Systems ........................................................................................ 2-51 2.7.3.5 Unmanned Aircraft Systems ..................................................................................................... 2-51 2.7.3.6 Missiles/Rockets/Bombs ........................................................................................................... 2-51 2.7.3.7 Other Systems ........................................................................................................................... 2-51 2.8 ALTERNATIVE 2: INCLUDES ALTERNATIVE 1 PLUS INCREASED TEMPO OF TRAINING AND TESTING ACTIVITIES ... 2-52 2.8.1 PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO ALTERNATIVE 1 TRAINING ACTIVITIES ......................................................... 2-53 2.8.1.1 Mine Warfare ............................................................................................................................ 2-53 2.8.2 PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO ALTERNATIVE 1 TESTING ACTIVITIES ........................................................... 2-53 2.8.2.1 Naval Sea Systems Command Testing Activities ....................................................................... 2-53 2.8.2.2 Naval Air Systems Command Testing Activities ........................................................................ 2-53 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 2.4-1: REPRESENTATIVE TRAINING ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................... 2-34 TABLE 2.4-2: REPRESENTATIVE NAVAL SEA SYSTEMS COMMAND TESTING ACTIVITIES ............................................................... 2-38 TABLE 2.4-3: REPRESENTATIVE NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND TESTING ACTIVITIES ............................................................... 2-41 TABLE 2.8-1: BASELINE AND PROPOSED TRAINING