Las Vegas Bombing and Gunnery Range

Las Vegas Bombing and Gunnery Range. Established in 1940, this major military training facility was a critical asset for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and the early Cold War. Located in the Mojave Desert northwest of Las Vegas Valley, it provided extensive airspace for bombing and gunnery practice. Its operations were closely tied to nearby installations like Nellis Air Force Base and the Nevada Test Site.

History

The range was established in 1940 as the United States prepared for potential entry into World War II. It was initially used to train pilots and crews from Las Vegas Army Air Field, the precursor to Nellis Air Force Base. Following the war, its importance grew during the Cold War as the newly independent United States Air Force required advanced training for jet aircraft and nuclear delivery tactics. The range's proximity to the Nevada Test Site, established in 1951, created a unique complex for combined weapons testing and tactical training. Activities were gradually consolidated under the control of the Air Training Command and later the Tactical Air Command.

Operations and facilities

The sprawling range encompassed thousands of acres of desert terrain, featuring multiple target complexes. Primary operations included high-altitude bombing practice, low-level strafing runs, and gunnery training for aircraft like the F-86 Sabre and F-100 Super Sabre. Key facilities included standardized bombing targets, towed aerial target sleeves for live-fire exercises, and impact areas for practice bombs. The range's airspace was integrated into the massive Nellis Air Force Base training complex, which included the adjacent Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field. Pilots from across the country conducted exercises here, often coordinating with personnel from the Atomic Energy Commission at the Nevada Test Site.

Environmental impact and controversies

Decades of military activity left a significant environmental legacy. The primary concerns involved unexploded ordnance (UXO) and potential soil contamination from munitions constituents like lead and trinitrotoluene. While located in a remote desert area, the range's history intersected with growing public and governmental awareness of environmental issues in the latter 20th century. Its operations, while largely accepted during World War II and the early Cold War, later faced scrutiny under modern environmental laws such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Cleanup responsibilities fell to agencies like the United States Air Force and the United States Department of Defense.

Closure and redevelopment

The range was officially closed in 1964, as training missions were further consolidated into the expanded Nellis Range Complex. Following closure, the land underwent a lengthy process of assessment and remediation for unexploded ordnance. A significant portion of the former range territory was eventually transferred to other federal and state entities. Key tracts were incorporated into the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Other areas became part of the Bureau of Land Management's jurisdiction. The transition from a military installation to public land marked a major shift in the land use of the northern Mojave Desert.

See also

* Nellis Air Force Base * Nellis Range Complex * Nevada Test Site * Desert National Wildlife Refuge * United States Air Force

Category:Military facilities in Nevada Category:Clark County, Nevada Category:Closed facilities of the United States Air Force