The primary purpose of the Pinecastle Range Complex is to provide an environment where air crews can learn proper maneuvering tactics and weapons delivery. Photo courtesy of Pinecastle Range Complex

Range remains vital training tool

By JO1 Mike England
Assistant Editor

For years, the military has used bombing ranges to keep their pilots trained and battle ready. These ranges enable pilots to ''sharpen the saw'' so that they can be ready for the real thing and prevent bombing mishaps and friendly fire incidents from ever occurring. The Pinecastle Range Complex has fast become the focal point for Naval aircrew training. The complex consists of the Pinecastle Impact Range, Rodman Ordnance Range, and the Lake George Range. The Navy's Pinecastle Impact Range in the Ocala National Forest is the most widely used target area, and is the only place on the East Coast where the Navy can conduct live ordnance delivery training. The Navy drops more than 10,000 bombs a year at the site, a few hundred of which are live. The Navy has used nearly 6,000 acres of the 382,000-acre forest for target practice for 50 years under a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service.

''We take pride in providing the Navy as well as the other services with unique training opportunities,'' said Pinecastle Director of Operations John Childers.

The Pinecastle Bombing Range, which is under Operational and Administrative control of Capt. James Cardosi, Commanding Officer, Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, Jax is an unfenced 5,760-acre area, with the eastern edge of the range located about four miles west of State Road 19 and the Camp Ocala campgrounds, and three-quarters of a mile west of the Farles Lake campground. F-18 jet fighters and other aircraft take off from NAS Jacksonville, fly low over the forest, and drop their bombs in the middle 450 acres of the range. Occasionally, fighter jets from MCAS Beaufort, SC, and NAS Oceana, Va., conduct long-range strikes against the Pinecastle targets. During major training exercises, carrier based aircraft pound the targets for a ten to fourteen day period.

The Pinecastle complex is a day-night, live and inert ordnance delivery area located approximately 80 miles south of NAS Jacksonville, and twelve miles north of Altoona, Fla. All air-to-ground exercises using conventional ordnance up to and including 2,000-pound MK 84 bombs and five-inch Zuni rockets are authorized. Napalm, cluster munitions, and High Explosive Incendiary are prohibited. Live ordnance is restricted to the live ordnance impact area; inert (dummy) ordnance is used on all other targets. Pinecastle targets have been certified for Laser operations. The Pinecastle complex is normally available for training Monday and Wednesday from 1000-2000, Tuesday and Thursday, 0900-1700, and Friday, 0800-1200. Weekends may be scheduled for special training events.

This is all that remains of a vehicle that got in the way of bomb dropped at Pinecastle. Photo courtesy of Pinecastle Range Complex

Pinecastle Ordnance Specialist Anthony Hutchinson says that sometimes things don't go according to plan after a bomb is dropped.

''We occasionally have to deal with unexploded ordnance,'' said Hutchinson. ''When a bomb doesn't go off we first have to locate it, which isn't always as simple as it sounds since sometimes they end up underground, and then we have to explode it in place, which is extremely hazardous, but necessary.''

There are nine targets within the Pinecastle complex. The live ordnance impact area consists of vehicle hulks, arranged to form a Sam Site, Ammo Dump, Fuel Farm, Storage Bunkers, Helo Pad, and Missile Launchers. Weapon impacts are scored by a special computer system. Maximum 2,000-pound general purpose or explosive equivalent, and rockets up to five-inch are authorized.

The Main Bull (Special Wea-pons Bombing Target) consists of four concentric circles of 300, 600, 900, and 1,200 feet radii, encompassing a bull's-eye. The center of the bull's-eye is clear of vegetation out to 450 feet with two rings of tires at the 50 and 200 foot radii from the battle tank located in the center.

The Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility Jax schedules all flight operations through the Pinecastle Range Complex. Photo courtesy of Pinecastle Range Complex

The Day/Night Conventional Dive Bomb/Rocket Target consists of a surplus military vehicle bull's-eye and four concentric tire rings of 50, 100, 200 and 300 feet radii. This target is equipped with an integral lighting system for night bombing exercises. Twelve radar reflectors are placed in clock positions at 400 feet. Only practice bombs are authorized on this target on this target. Within the past year, an airport complex was added adjacent to this target. The airport complex is complete with mock-up runways, taxiways, hangers, bunkers, aircraft, and even a control tower. Only inert ordnance is authorized on this target.

The Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) Site Target resembles a hexagram with a circular service road encompassing the radar and surrounding missile launcher pads. This target is not scored. Practice bombs, inert MK 80 series bombs, Laser Guided Training Rounds, and inert rockets up to five-inch are authorized.

The Inert Ordnance Runway consists of a mock runway where practice bombs, inert MK 80 series bombs, and inert rockets up to five-inch are authorized.

The Red Box Target consists of four red sea vans positioned to form a square with a radar unit in the center. The square of tanks is within a 200-foot radius circle. Practice bombs, inert MK 80 series bombs, and inert rockets up to five-inch are authorized.

Pinecastle Operations Supervisor Bruce Leonard talks to a pilot coming in for a bombing run at the operations center during a composite training unit exercise June 15. Photos by JO2 Mike England

The Laser Target is a 50-foot by 50-foot billboard with a painted black crosshair. A laser sensor is positioned in the center of the crosshair. Continuous automatic scoring is available on frequency 380.8 MHz. Cassette tape scoring results are available with a 15-minute advanced notice. This target provides no-drop laser guided bomb training.

''We've designed an assortment of different targets to give the pilots a more realistic feel during their bombing runs,'' Childers said. ''We've also had radar stations set up that track all the inbound aircraft and simulate missile lock by a surface to air missile. It's important to keep our pilots on their toes. We'd be doing them a disservice if we made it too easy on them.''

Pinecastle has grown in importance as other bombing ranges have either closed or been put under significant pressure by their surrounding communities.

''We've seen a big jump in the number of bombing runs made here since the Vieques range in Puerto Rico closed,'' Childers said.

Pinecastle Range Complex Electronics Technician Jim Baumgurdber tracks the progress of an incoming bomb. Baumgurdber will later score the pilot on how accurate his drop was. Photos by JO2 Mike England

Between Aug. 2, 1951 and April 15, 1985, the Navy acquired 5,895 (including 5,765 acres of former site acreage) acres by special use permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for an impact range since developed and known as Pinecastle Impact Range. Development once included an administrative site, a tracking station, remote radar sites, towers and markers, and targets. All that remains is the Operations Center, known as the Centroid, and the Pinecastle Impact Range. The Navy acreage is located in what was the center of the former range and includes the former Army North Bomb Target. The Navy site has been under the jurisdiction of NAS Jax and the former NAS Cecil Field.

The War Department (WD) acquired 40,587 acres for the former Lake Bryant Bombing and Gunnery Range in the early 1940's. On June 27, 1941, the WD acquired use of 23,167 acres for an Army bombing and gunnery range by means of a temporary use permit from the USDA. By two Memoranda of Understand-ings with the USDA, the Army acquired more land in the same area: 3,354 acres by transfer and another 14,066 acres by conveyance bringing the total to 40,587 by Jan. 11, 1943.

During World War II, the Lake Bryant Bombing and Gunnery Range was utilized by the United States Armed Forces Command and was under the jurisdiction of Pinecastle Army Air Field and the Orlando Army Air Base. The site was also known as the Ocala Bombing Range, the Ocala Bombing and Gunnery Range, and Ocala Aerial Bombing and Gunnery Range, and Ocala Range. The site was used for practice bombing (including the use of HE/GP bombs), AAF Board Projects, ground gunnery and rocket missions. There were also training facilities for firefighting details. Observation towers were constructed on the site along with a camp area for the firefighters.

At the conclusion of World War II, the WD determined the site was no longer required. It was declared surplus Dec. 2, 1956. The entire 40,587-acre site was relinquished back to the USDA by letter of transfer dated May 20, 1947. Of these 40,587 acres, 5,765 acres are not eligible for the DERP-FUDS program because the Navy currently utilizes these acres for an active site, the Pinecastle Impact Range.

The North Bomb Target was one of the original range locations and was intended for practice bombing. It was a cleared circular area about two miles in diameter. Historical aerial photography shows a considerable amount of ground disturbance. This entire target area, with the exception of a portion along the northern edge outside of the present-day Navy range, is included in the currently active U.S. Navy Pinecastle Target.

Ocala National Forest Supervi-sor Marsha Kearney granted the U.S. Navy's request to renew their special use permit in April 2002, which will allow the Navy to keep using the range until December 22, 2022.

''Pinecastle Range will continue to play a role in ensuring our nation's military remains at a high state of readiness. In light of recent world events, that level of readiness is certainly needed,'' said Kearney.