Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility Boardman
| Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility Boardman | |
|---|---|
| Morrow County, Oregon Near Boardman in the United States | |
A sign on the range warning visitors of hazards related to testing. | |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Department of Defense |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Open to the public | Partial |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 45°41′21″N 119°45′33″W / 45.68917°N 119.75917°W45°41′21″N 119°45′33″W / 45.68917°N 119.75917°W |
| Area | 47,000 acres (190 km2) |
| Site history | |
| In use | 1941 - Present |
| Garrison information | |
| Current commander | Chief Machinist’s Mate Steven P. Peña Jr. |
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The Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility Boardman, informally known as the Boardman Bombing Range, is a military installation south of Boardman, Oregon in the United States. It is used by NAS Whidbey Island as their principal training grounds for testing EA-18G Growler aircraft and for drone testing. It is located about 70 miles (110 km) south of the Yakima Training Center, which is used by Joint Base Lewis-McChord for training exercises and about 15 miles (24 km) west of the now closed Umatilla Chemical Depot.
The range was established by the U.S. Army Air Force in 1941 as the Arlington Bombing Range, being originally named after Arlington to the west. The range is used frequently throughout the year. Beyond its primary operator at NAS Whidbey Island, the installation is also used by Oregon National Guard units based in Pendleton and Klamath Falls. About half of the original property was distributed to non-military operators when the Air Force transferred the site to the Navy. The range is also an important ecological site, with parts of it being federally protected.