DAGIR system to be emplaced at Yano Range

Construction is about to begin on a new high-tech live-fire range at U.S. Army Fort Knox, Kentucky, that when finished in 2023, will be only the second of its kind anywhere.

Called a Digital Air-Ground Integration Range, or DAGIR, thefully computerized range will make it possible for military personnel aroundthe United States, and even abroad, to coordinate and practice accomplishingmissions from the ground and air simultaneously.

Yano Range has been designated as the area where the DAGIRsystem will be emplaced, with the total cost running about $52 million – $26million for construction and the rest going to instrumentation. An area about 8kilometers long and 1-to-3 kilometers wide will be used – roughly 3,000 squareacres.

"This is a big project, probably the biggest in Armyranges for the next four or five years," said Rodney Manson, InstallationRange Management officer at the Fort Knox Directorate of Plans, Training,Mobilization and Security. "The range will include target devices,battlefield effects simulators, aerial weapons scoring system; all the stuffthat goes into a DAGIR."

“Most ranges are not this large. The Army doesn't have theground to do this," said Manson. "So probably the biggest thing is,it's the ability for the ground commander to integrate the fires into anobjective."

Ken Boeglen, DPTMS director, said most live-fire ranges,like the one currently at Yano Range, provide capabilities for only one or twotanks to move forward, fire at targets, and move back.

By comparison, the DAGIR range will allow for training onseveral different scenarios and qualification requirements, to includeindividual and platoon tank gunneries, dismounted live-fire exercises,artillery fires, and several capabilities for rotary and fixed wing aircraft.

"If you were into a crawl-walk-run scenario, this wouldbe a walk to... a slow jog in a training scenario," said Boeglen. "IfI were to go through this range, once I get to the National Training Center [atFort Irwin, California], I would have an opportunity to say, 'Hey, I'm ready tostart jogging fast or running.'"

"This truly will be a regional asset," saidManson.

No construction has started at Yano Range at the moment,although training missions that normally occur there have been shifted over toWilcox Range in preparation for construction to begin in September or October.

Establishing the range at Yano already has one bigcost-saving advantage built in.

"We're laying it on an existing facility, so a lot ofthe dirt work doesn't need to occur," said Manson. "This range wasprobably due for an upgrade or refit anyway. This was timely in that we weregetting an upgrade to the range, so the good news is all they really have to dois bury some data wire and change a couple of little things. The constructionthat normally will take two years, we assume will take less."

Manson emphasized that it doesn't mean a contractor willhave the range done in less time, however. A lot of variables can affect rangeconstruction.

"The systems will talk to each other, designatetargets, report, then they'll execute the range in that manner," saidManson.

Boeglen said a change in strategies and focus on the worldstage has created a necessity for U.S. forces to change training, making theDAGIR concept more needed. "We're getting back to rapid deployments, sothe idea of [Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercises] is being kicked aroundagain. We did one last year with the 89th [Military Police Brigade] before theywere diverted to the [Southwest border support mission]," said Boeglen."The deployment readiness exercises that the Defense Department wants toexecute makes this a good fit for that."

In the short term, the range is expected bring in a boon tolocal economies while construction occurs, according to Boegen and Manson, Oncethe range is complete, Boeglen said it is unclear whether there will beincreases in permanent job positions. However, there will be an increase in thetransient troop numbers during training cycles.

"This will bring more customers to post and likely make the airfield busier," said Boeglen.

Source: US Army