Message posted by Griffon_314 on April 28, 2011 at 8:28:05 PST:
Some good detective work by ATS user "gariac" turned up a 2004 environmental assessment for the new construction that offers very good insight into this facility: It's called the AOF (Aerial Operations Facility), and was established in 2001. Prior to that, it was called the "Airborne Response Team" hangar (hangar #5 in my post above) - hence the pad visible in the 1998 image may have been for a helicopter. The document refers to the clamshell hangar (#1) as the "XP Hangar" and the opposite end (#2) as the "Falcon Hangar". Hangars #3 and #4 are labelled as "covered tie-down" areas - so not hangars at all, but rather scoot-and-hide type shelters. It states 20-80 personnel will work at the facility depending on flight test schedules. Interestingly, it states that "The nature of the aircraft prevents using normal washing techniques. Further, it states that "The majority of UAV flights would occur over Yucca Lake, with approximately 10 percent of the flights taking place over the rest of the NTS. There would be no flights allowed in the vicinity of the Device Assembly Facility (DAF). All flights are less than 12,000 feet in altitude, with the Activity is estimated at "approximately 4-6 takeoffs and landings daily (Monday through Thursday) for UAVs", with 2-4 manned takeoffs/landing (support/chase aircraft). When referring to the UAV mission of the facility, the document seems to imply that only a single type of UAV will be operated here.
http://nepa.energy.gov/documents/EA-1512F.pdf
Aircraft would be wiped down by hand when cleaning is required."
majority being much lower."
In Reply to: Re: New imagery at the Lockheed Martin Yucca Lake facility posted by Griffon_314 on April 28, 2011 at 7:16:52 PST:
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