Biggs Army Airfield

Biggs Army Airfield is a United States Army airfield located in El Paso County, Texas, near the Franklin Mountains State Park and the Rio Grande. The airfield is named after Lieutenant James Biggs, a United States Army Air Forces pilot who died in a plane crash in 1938, and is operated by the United States Army in conjunction with Fort Bliss. The airfield has a long history of supporting United States Army operations, including those of the 1st Armored Division, 11th Airborne Division, and 82nd Airborne Division.

● History

The history of Biggs Army Airfield dates back to 1916, when it was established as a United States Army training facility during World War I. The airfield was used to train pilots for the United States Army Air Service, and was later used as a base for United States Army Air Corps units during the interwar period. During World War II, the airfield was expanded and used as a training base for B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bomber crews, with support from the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron and the Tuskegee Airmen. The airfield also played a key role in the Cold War, serving as a base for United States Army units deployed to Europe and Asia, including the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War.

● Location

Biggs Army Airfield is located in El Paso County, Texas, near the New Mexico border and the Mexico–United States border. The airfield is situated near the Franklin Mountains State Park and the Rio Grande, and is adjacent to the Fort Bliss military base, which is home to the 1st Armored Division and the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command. The airfield is also near the El Paso International Airport, which serves as a major transportation hub for the region, with connections to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport.

● Operations

Biggs Army Airfield is used to support a variety of United States Army operations, including training exercises and deployments. The airfield is home to the 1st Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade, which operates AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, as well as the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, which operates Patriot missile systems. The airfield also supports operations by the United States Army Special Operations Command, including the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, with support from the Delta Force and the Night Stalkers.

● Facilities

Biggs Army Airfield has a variety of facilities to support United States Army operations, including a runway and taxiway system, hangars, and fueling and maintenance facilities. The airfield also has a control tower and air traffic control facilities, as well as security and firefighting facilities. The airfield is also home to a variety of United States Army units, including the 1st Armored Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion and the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command's Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, with support from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the United States Army Medical Command.

● Environmental_impacts

Biggs Army Airfield has a variety of environmental impacts, including noise pollution from aircraft operations and air pollution from fueling and maintenance activities. The airfield is also located near the Rio Grande, which is a sensitive ecosystem that supports a variety of wildlife, including the Rio Grande silvery minnow and the Southwestern willow flycatcher. The United States Army has implemented a variety of measures to mitigate the environmental impacts of the airfield, including the use of noise-reducing technologies and emission-reducing fuels, with support from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The airfield is also subject to regulations and guidelines set by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Environmental Policy Act, with oversight from the United States Congress and the White House.