NAF completes annual drills, prepares for 75th anniversary
NAF EL CENTRO – The Naval Air Facility announced successful completion of its two- weeklong annual drills.
The base’s commanding o cer, Capt. William Perkins explained in a news release issued Thursday that Exercise Solid Curtain/ Citadel Shield was a series of drills designed to ensure the installation remains operable when challenged with a variety of different problems. It was an all-hands e ort involving hours of training and practice, he said.
During the exercise, the base practiced many different types of force protection conditions and conducted drills for both internal and externally derived crisis events.
“Although this exercise was not derived from any specific threat to the base, it was an important opportunity to dust off our procedures to response to di erent types of threats,” Perkins said.
Due to COVID-19 safety mitigations this year, the base was unable to test in- person joint training with local first responders. Some of the events practiced in the past included fire, mass casualty medical treatment, explosive device response and crisis communications.
“This joint training is an important link between the local community and the installation,” Perkins stressed, noting that these drills benefit both the base and the local community. “We look forward to resuming in- person integrated training when conditions permit,” he added.
Perkins reiterated that certain protective measure remain in place, specifically those designed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “The air facility has been and will continue to use a methodical and tiered approach to protect and defend the workforce and families here while continuing to meet its primary mission — providing air operations support to visiting squadrons who utilize Vraciu Airfield and the associated Navy training ranges.”
Perkins said one issue interfering with aviation training at the base is the ongoing issue of incursions onto the ranges and targets by o -highway vehicle users. Violation of range boundaries puts people at risk while also potentially jeopardizing the safety of the aircrew using the live bombing ranges.
Due to the possibility of ordnance coming from different directions, the possibility of ordnance “skipping” along the ground, and the use of laser targeting systems, “the only way to guarantee safe OHV recreation is to remain outside the boundaries of the ranges,” Perkins said.
Another consideration of range incursions is the well- being of the flattailed horned lizard, rarest horned lizard in North America.
“The Navy is committed to the conservation of this lizard while protecting our mission of providing realistic training to warfighters; preventing range incursions is one tool in the conservation effort,” Perkins said.
The base will continue to inform and educate the community on the hazards of range incursions with an upcoming information campaign.
NAF also is scheduled to celebrate its 75th anniversary on May 1. As part of that celebration, the base will livestream a short commemoration of the event. Details will be announced on the installation’s Facebook page.
Commissioned on May 1, 1946, the base has had a major impact on the development of parachute recovery systems for U.S. aircraft and spacecraft as well as pilot production for the Naval Aviation Enterprise.