Why doesn the Army just clear Leach Lake and use it for maneuvers?
The Leach Lake Impact Area comprises approximately 92,000 acres within the current Fort Irwin boundaries. It has been used since 1981 for live-fire exercises by the Army and as a live ordnance bombing range for the Air Force. The NTC considered the use of Leach Lake to help meet its additional training land needs; however, the following factors make the use of the area infeasible: Training Value: Leach Lake is an essential component of the Air Force’s Air Warrior Program. Air Warrior trains aircrews the same way the NTC trains mechanized and support units. During a scenario, the NTC incorporates all the various facets required to realistically reproduce actual battle conditions. Such realism includes incorporation of Air Force sorties in support of training units (BLUFOR) and the opposing forces (OPFOR) to simulate air cover and attack. Air Warrior allows both Army and Air Force units to train together in the same way they would fight together in actual combat. Leach Lake is also separ
