| Avon Park Air Force Range | |
|---|---|
| Part of Air Combat Command (ACC) | |
| Located near Avon Park, Florida | |
Avon Park Air Force Auxiliary Field 25 December 1999 |
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| Type | Air Force Bombing Range |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | 1941-present |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
The Avon Park Air Force Range (APAFR) (ICAO: KAGR, FAA LID: AGR) is a United States Air Force bombing range and air-ground training complex in the U.S. state of Florida located east of the city of Avon Park.
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APAFR was first opened during World War II under the name of Avon Park Army Air Field. The Third Air Force used the airfield for training B-17 air crews in air-to-ground bombing and for antisubmarine patrols.
After World War II ended, the base was closed and placed in a caretaker status. In 1949, the base was transferred to the newly created U.S. Air Force and renamed Avon Park Air Force Base.
In 1956, the base was renamed again to Avon Park Air Force Range. At this time a major improvement program was begun to include storm drainage, sanitary sewer, electrical and water systems, roads, bridges, runways, fencing and over 500 buildings. These structures included chapels, administration buildings, dormitories/barracks, recreation facilities, airfield and main base fire stations, mess halls, residences for married personnel, and other miscellaneous structures. At its height, the base spread across 218,000 acres (880 km2).
Over the succeeding years the US Air Force declared much of the land surplus and disposed of it. The last major divestment in 1983 brought the range to its current size.
APAFR consists of approximately 106,000 acres (430 km2) of land of which about 82,000 acres (330 km2) are open to the public for recreation, provided there are no ongoing military missions. APAFR includes Avon Park Air Force Auxiliary Field (also known as MacDill AFB Auxiliary Field). The operational airfield consists of an 8000 ft arresting gear-equipped main runway, a limited-operational control tower, an aircraft rescue and firefighting facility and limited ramp and hangar facilities. There are no published instrument approach procedures and the airfield is limited to military aircraft conducting VFR operations. Due to deferred airfield maintenance issues, the airfield is currently closed to all flight operations other than light general aviation aircraft used by APAFR personnel for range monitoring issues and to military jet or rotary-wing aircraft experiencing in-flight emergencies on or in the vicinity of the Avon Park Military Operations Area (Avon Park MOA) for which an emergency divert to MacDill AFB is not practical.
The host unit for the APAFR is Detachment 1, 23d Wing, which is a subordinate unit of the 23d Wing (23 WG), an Air Combat Command (ACC) composite fighter and rescue wing located at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. In addition to the Avon Park Air Force Range, Det 1 also oversees the Deployed Unit Complex (DUC), a flight line facility at nearby MacDill AFB for transient military flight crews, maintenance crews and aircraft utilizing APAFR. This permits visiting squadrons to have ready access to APAFR while concurrently taking advantage of the more robust billeting, messing and maintenance support capabilities at MacDill AFB. This combination of facilities provides extensive, diversified and convenient training airspace and ranges with unique training capabilities for military air, ground and air-to-ground training.
The Florida Army National Guard also maintains a ground support facility at APAFR.
With successive divestitures of real property and reductions in permanent party military, civil service and contractor personnel assigned to APAFR, many of the facilities constructed during the 1950s have been turned over to the State of Florida. The state's Department of Corrections operates the Avon Park Correctional Institution (APCI) on site for adult male offenders utilizing former USAF dormitory/barracks facilities, while the Department of Juvenile Justice operates the Avon Park Youth Academy for low to moderate risk juvenile offenders/delinquents utilizing former base housing.[1]
Other facilities at APAFR that continue to be maintained by USAF and that are outside the core operational mission include morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) facilities, primarily camping, boating and hunting facilities for active and retired military personnel.
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