Air National Guard Combat Readiness Training Center

Air National Guard Combat Readiness Training Center
Name	Combat Readiness Training Center
Location	Dixie Valley, Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada, United States
Type	Training center
Controlled by	Air National Guard
Used	20th century–present
Occupants	Nevada Air National Guard, Air National Guard units of the United States

Air National Guard Combat Readiness Training Center is a specialized United States Air Force installation that provides advanced readiness training for Air National Guard units, joint forces, and allied partners. Situated within the Nevada Test and Training Range near Nellis Air Force Base, the center supports live-fire, electronic warfare, and integrated air-ground exercises that involve a wide array of aircraft, personnel, and systems. The center’s activities intersect with programs led by Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, Pacific Air Forces, and state-level organizations such as the Nevada National Guard.

History

Established in the late 20th century amid increasing emphasis on realistic training, the center evolved from earlier ranges tied to World War II and Cold War test sites such as the Tonopah Test Range and Area 51. During the 1990s and 2000s, modernization initiatives aligned the center with concepts pioneered at Nellis Air Force Base, the Red Flag series, and the William Tell competitions. Partnerships with the Air National Guard Bureau, National Guard Bureau, and state authorities expanded the center’s remit, drawing units from the 109th Airlift Wing, 129th Rescue Wing, 152nd Airlift Wing, and overseas participants from Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and Canadian Forces organizations. Post-9/11 operational demands accelerated incorporation of counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, and expeditionary logistics scenarios developed alongside U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command planners.

Mission and Role

The center’s mission supports readiness objectives set by Air National Guard Bureau guidance, enabling integration among tactical formations such as F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-15 Eagle, F-22 Raptor, A-10 Thunderbolt II, and C-130 Hercules units. It hosts training designed to meet standards promulgated by Joint Chiefs of Staff doctrine and supports interoperability with United States Army brigade combat teams, United States Marine Corps aviation, and allied contingents from organizations like NATO and the European Union. The center enables force projection requirements identified by U.S. Northern Command, contingency plans coordinated with State Guard authorities, and readiness metrics used by Department of Defense oversight bodies.

Facilities and Training Ranges

Facilities include expansive ranges derived from the Nevada Test and Training Range complex, instrumented aerial targets, live-fire corridors formerly associated with Nellis Air Force Range activities, and ground maneuver areas comparable to those at Eglin Air Force Base and Dover Air Force Base training sites. Instrumentation supports telemetry and range safety systems used by Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman contractors during live electronic warfare and weapons employment. Nearby infrastructure leverages airspace coordination with FAA sectors, airfields like Nellis Air Force Base and Henderson Executive Airport, and logistics hubs tied to McCarran International Airport and Travis Air Force Base.

Units and Organization

The center coordinates rotations from a wide array of units including wings such as the 152nd Airlift Wing, 129th Rescue Wing, 157th Air Refueling Wing, and combat squadrons operating MQ-9 Reaper, KC-135 Stratotanker, and C-17 Globemaster III platforms. Organizational oversight flows through the Air National Guard headquarters and integrates planners from Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, and state-level organizations like the Nevada National Guard. Visiting units often include elements of the 82nd Airborne Division and Marine aviation squadrons from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, as well as allied detachments from the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Australian Defence Force.

Operations and Exercises

The center hosts complex exercises patterned on programs such as Red Flag, Green Flag, and multilateral events involving NATO and Pacific Air Forces participants. Operations emphasize combined arms integration with United States Army Special Forces, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, and Air Force Special Operations Command elements, and incorporate scenarios derived from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom lessons. Exercises test doctrine issued by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and involve coordination with intelligence agencies like the Defense Intelligence Agency and logistics entities such as Air Force Materiel Command. Range support includes target tow aircraft, forward arming and refueling points used by Aviation Support Battalions, and unmanned aerial systems employed by Air National Guard unmanned aircraft units.

Environmental and Community Impact

Operations take place within ecologically sensitive areas similar to habitats studied by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and environmental assessments overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency. Community engagement involves county officials from Nye County, Nevada, state legislators of Nevada Legislature, and local stakeholders including Paiute and other tribal communities. Noise, airspace, and land-use impacts are managed through coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, state environmental agencies, and conservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy and Sierra Club. Economic effects include contracts with defense contractors like Boeing and General Dynamics and local employment tied to hospitality providers in Las Vegas and adjacent communities.

Category:Air National Guard installations Category:Military training areas in Nevada