YPG’s Laguna Airfield undergoing expansion and improvements
With 2,000 square miles of restricted airspace, it’s safe to say, U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) sees a lot of air traffic.
That volume of activity causes degradation on the runways.
“This used to have edge markings and it used to have a centerline and all sorts of markings,” pointed out Jim Walk, Laguna Airfield manager, as he points at the marks on the runway, “That was all rubber from the planes landing and you couldn’t even see the centerline, because it was obscured by the rubber.”
YPG supports the Airborne Test Force, Military Free Fall, Flight Detachment and Yuma Test Center’s Aviation Systems among various other developmental and operational testing.
To better serve those entities, Laguna Airfield is undergoing improvements. All the pavements are being resurfaced in one way depending on their needs. Cracks are being filled and fog sealed on the runways, taxiways, and aprons. A portion of a taxiway was milled and three inches of asphalt was applied. New markings will also be added.
In early February an additional runway, which had not been used for four years, is now back in service after flashing light were installed to warn vehicle traffic of an approaching aircraft. That runway was the first finished in January and the difference
is evident. The sleek black asphalt has pristine white markings.
Adding to these improvements, in December of 2021, the construction of a hanger for the Flight Detachment got underway. It will include a new ramp and taxiway from the hanger to the runway.
With all the construction taking place, Flight Services Division Chief
Patrick Franklin, commends those who are actively working behind the scenes to make it run smoothly.
“There’s a tremendous amount of coordination going on to make sure that all the two different construction contractors are talking to each other, DPW [Directorate of Public Works] and the Corps of Engineers are working closely together. We are working with the Mission folks to make sure all their imperatives are still met.”
That involves weekly coordination meetings that have been on-going since October.
Walk said, “We went from A, to B, to C, we had to keep something open all the time, we’re playing a shell game of keeping everything going.”
At times, contractors would stop construction and move out of the way to allow missions to continue.
During construction regular mission activities and largescale exercises including Project Convergence Technology Gateway Demonstration, Weapons and
Tactics and Instruction course better known as WTI and other training and exercise activities proceeded uninterrupted.
The groundwork on the airfield is expected to be complete by April or May.