Oregon National Guard, US Navy cut ribbon on $13 million Unmanned Aerial System Operating Facility in Boardman
BOARDMAN, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon National Guard and the U.S. Navy conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday to officially open the Unmanned Aerial System Operating Facility in Boardman.
Oregon National Guard Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General for Oregon and U.S. Navy Capt. Eric Hanks, Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, described the partnership between the two military organizations during their remarks to military members, community leaders and civilian guests in attendance.
“This $13 million project employed almost 200 people in its development and construction, and includes a controlled waste facility, flammable materials facility, its own waste water and septic system,” Stencel said, highlighting many of the features of the state-of-the-art building. “The High Energy efficiency design also includes a 25 kilowatt solar array to reduce environmental impacts and a minimum 50-year service life for this building.”
The 12,400-square foot-construction, along with an additional 10,400-square-foot aircraft storage building, first entered into a Host-Tenant Agreement in 2002, for about 6,852 acres to support both the Tactical Unmanned Aerial System flight facility, along with a Multipurpose Machine Gun Range. Construction began in January of 2021 and was completed in April 2022.
“Twenty years of collaboration and hard work have produced an installation that will be used for generations to come. I look forward to the future accomplishments of the service members who will have the privilege to train here into the future,” Stencel said.
Apollo Inc., a Native American owned business in Washington State, was the primary lead team, along with Coover-Clark Architects, and Meier Engineering for preconstruction, construction and administrative services for the facility. Other key contributors were KWR Electrical Engineers, Briteworks sustainability consultants, Bruce Mechanical Heating and Air and Camp Creek Electrical.
The Naval Weapons System Training Facility in Boardman is used as the principal training grounds for testing U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler aircraft assigned to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington and also used for drone testing. Additionally the range has been used by the Oregon Air National Guard to conduct air-to-ground weapons systems applications.
“The Boardman Range is an important national strategic level asset for our counties defense, it is the only restricted airspace in the Northwest that allows for advanced low-level aviation training of our War Fighters that include tactical jet aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned assets,” Hanks said, while highlighting the joint training facility. “I look forward to what the innovation brings to increase safety to our nation’s volunteer War Fighters.”
The U.S. Navy and Oregon National Guard want to increase training at the range, and begin to use the multirole combat aircraft F-35 Lightning II, and the F-15EX Eagle II.
The original site was established in 1941 as a testing site for the Army Air Force during World War II. After the war, the U.S. Air Force transferred large portions of the land to the Navy in 1960. Nearly seven miles of the historic Oregon Trail are located within the boundary area of the installation, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
