Guest Rat's Page
Stories from other Rats & personnel
USAF
Nuclear Weapons
Specialist Homepage
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This is the realm of Falcons and Eagles, Raptors and Spirits, who lay their deadly eggs in the pursuit of peace.
Officially, it is designated the Precision Impact Range Area, or PIRA. But those who work in the skies above it or on the ground simply call it the Range.
It is where the AFFTC's 6521 Range Squadron tests and develops cutting edge technology and systems for the USAF and others: everything from avionics to
ordnance to whole aircraft.
It is a dynamic environment, in a constant state of flux. Despite this, many of the basic features have remained through the decades.
This is a glimpse of what it was like in the heady days during the climaxing decade of the Cold War.
The PIRA consists of three main ranges: the West Range, the East Range, and the PB-6 Range.
Within these, there are many different areas for various uses: Bombing, air-to-ground gunnery, jettison areas, infrared targets, photoresolution ranges, laser targets, etc.
Further, these areas can be enhanced for specific missions with the addition of vehicle arrays, infrared targets, radar relector arrays, 3-dimensional targets, etc.
Several of the main Bomb Targets have real-time scoring capability, with a Video Bomb Scoring System (VBS). This is achieved by the use of video cameras set up in the Control
and Flank Towers surrounding these targets, and utilizing a computerized triangulation program.
This is much more accurate than the old system, by which personnel would manually sight the bomb's impact through a surveyor's transit from the towers, call their readings in to the
Control Tower via radio, and those readings were input onto a Plotting Table to calculate impact point. This was then radioed to the pilot during unclassified missions.
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The Author And A B-61 Nuclear Bomb
These were regularly dropped by a variety of aircraft, and recovered by Range personnel for refurbishing and reuse.
B-61 has a 24' kevlar ribbon-type parachute, capable of slowing the ~700 lb weapon from 1000mph to 65mph in about 2 seconds (many US ribbon parachutes owe their origins to
WWII German designs). |
USGS Photo |
Aerial View Of The Bombing Range
An aerial view of most of the West Range in 1994.
On the left, the DAGRAG (Dual Air-to-Ground RAnGe) can be seen, the two small rectangular areas are North and South Gun. The two largest circles near them are PB-1 and PB-10.
The smaller circles are PB-2, PB-3, PB-4, PB-9, and PB-13. The large rectangle is PB-8, just over a mile square.
At the top right is the Range Control Station (see page 06).
For a map view, run your mouse over the image, for a larger view, including the East Range, click on the photo.
For more extensive and detailed views, go to the USGS image at the Microsoft Terraserver. |
A YB-49 Flies Over The West Range
Although an aerodynamic marvel decades ahead of its time, the Flying Wing project was canceled, and all examples scrapped.
Regardless of what the many "conspiracy theories" purport to be the reasons behind this, the simple fact was that none of its eight bomb bays could carry the new nuclear weapons that would soon
be entering into the American arsenal.
On the ground below, PB-8 (when it was a circle) and PB-9 can be seen, and Rogers dry lake is in the background.
Click for a larger view. |
US Air Force Photo
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The term Range Rats is of indeterminate origin, but may have derived from the TV show The Desert Rats, which was filmed at Edwards. Loosely, it is the term applied to the personnel who work on the Range, although not to GIs, Civil Service, or DIR.
It is generally used rather disparagingly by those on 'Main Base', and during my term, we took offense when all but a select few called us that.
We, however, wore it as a badge of pride amongst ourselves, and we were unrivaled in our record of service: we never failed to support a mission, no matter how extraordinary the circumstances.
Like the fabled Postman, we were out there in the searing heat, the bitter cold, the gale winds, day, night, weekends and holidays, miles from the nearest drinkable water, or source of food.
This is but a mere glimpse of what we endured, accomplished, and achieved.
Can You Say "Beryllium"?
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Except where noted, all photographs are property of the author, who reserves all rights for their use
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