Bomb training scheduled June 17-22

The Pinecastle Impact Range spans 5,698 acres of the Ocala National Forest and is the only location on the East Coast where the Navy trains with live bombs [Michael Warren].

Bomb training has been scheduled for the week of June 17-22 at the Pinecastle Range Complex in the Ocala National Forest.

Live and inert bombs will be dropped during training exercises which began on June 17 and will run on each day from 2 p.m. into the night until 12:30 a.m.

In a media release, the Navy issued a word of caution about wildlife that “may be temporarily displaced. Use extra caution when driving through the Ocala National Forest and surrounding areas. Secure any items around your residence that could attract wildlife. Always be mindful of larger animals, including black bears.” 

Ocala is the only place on the east coast of the United States where the Navy is authorized to train with live explosives.

Ocala has played a pivotal role in naval operations since the early 1940s, when the War Department acquired more than 40,500 acres of the forest for what was then called the Lake Bryant Bombing and Gunnery Range, according to NAS Jacksonville.

Through World War II, the U.S. Army Air Force Command used this range, as part of the Pinecastle Army Field and Orlando Army Air Base, for rocket missions, bombing practice, ground gunnery and firefighting.

In 1951, the Navy acquired a portion of the range, which has continuously been in operation ever since to help train military personnel.

Today, this unique portion of the Ocala National Forest is used as a training location so military pilots can get real-life training in a realistic environment.

“The Pinecastle Range is the only U.S. East Coast training facility authorized for the release of explosive air-to-surface ordnance, including close air support, an essential factor in air warfare training,” according to NAS Jacksonville.

Synthetic training, such as the use of simulators, is commonly used within the Navy for training. The Ocala National Forest offers a kind of training that cannot be simulated, however, and is instrumental for pilots who specialize in air strikes, according to NAS Jacksonville.