Since 1998, USAE has supported the Department of Defense’s (DoD) mis­sion to prepare the military services to fight and win wars by maintaining active ranges. Operational ranges are located both within the continental United States and at a variety of international sites. These training ranges can be readily accessible or remotely based and require a variety of approaches to perform cost effective and safe removal of Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC). Our experience includes safe and successful execution of more than 65 large-scale Operational Range Clearance (ORC) and sustainment projects, valued at over $175M, including both terrestrial and underwater surface and subsurface clearance, target removal and replacement, and construction support for road repairs, and to remove, build, install, and maintain down-range targets.

Activities associated with operational range clearance, maintenance and sustainment may include the following:

Target Removal and Replacement 

• Establish safe access to remnant range targets
• Use of heavy equipment and cutting methods to demolish/remove unserviceable targets
• Replacement with new range targets, constructed of more advanced designs/materials or through utilization of locally available items.

Infrastructure and Facility Maintenance and Sustainment

• Road installation and improvements
• Berm refurbishment
• Drainage and erosion improvements
• Facility and target array upkeep and maintenance.

Small Arms Ranges

• Excavation and sifting
• Rubber granulate handling and replacement
• Lead abatement and recycling. 

Working at DoD installations both CONUS and OCONUS, USAE has screened, inspected, cleared, processed, and certified more than 41 million pounds of recyclable metal and 9 million pounds of non-recyclable debris for landfill disposal. Since 2017, USAE has certified >4.1 million pounds of range-related debris from the former Vieques Naval Training Range, Puerto Rico, in accordance with the Navy's approach to sustainable environmental remediation. USAE has in-house expertise and demonstrated practical experience to process live, full-scale, and sub-scale practice munitions and inert practice ammunition and targets. Our process for demilitarization meets scrap metal industry and military standards and optimizes the recycling value in accordance with the DoD Green Procurement Program. 

Operational Range Clearance (ORC), Maintenance and Sustainment planning and execution can also incorporate the following elements:

Remote Site Logistics

• Use of helicopters and marine vessels to transport personnel and equipment to/from remote sites
• Our network of logistics and material sources (seeking out local resources when possible) provides cost effectiveness for OCONUS range sites.

MEC Disposal and MDAS Management

• Conduct safe procedures for the explosive disposal/venting of MEC and MPPEH
• Perform effective management of munitions and range-related debris to ensure proper treatment and disposition as Material Documented as Safe (MDAS).

Innovative Technology Applications

• Robotics: Vegetation removal, excavations, and sifting at range areas that present higher explosive/safety risk
• Range Assessments: Aerial survey and imagery to evaluate impact areas and overall condition of the range complex.

Navy Dare County Bombing Range, Dare, NC

• Perform surface and subsurface clearance of MPPEH and MEC, range debris processing, target maintenance and construction, signage installation, demolition and venting support across 2,100 acres of impact areas
• Average >40,000 pounds of MPPEH annually
• Total of 43,307 pounds of MDAS recycled in 2025
• Replaced 5 targets in 2025

Pinecastle Range Complex (PRC) , Marion County, FL

• Perform surface and subsurface clearance of MPPEH and MEC, range debris processing, target maintenance and construction, demolition and venting support at this air-to-ground range spanning 5,700 acres
• 734 pounds MPPEH/MEC recovered, to date
• 33,530 pounds of Munitions and Target Debris, to date
• Six targets replaced, to date.

Fort Johnson Training Area Support (formerly Fort Polk), LA

• Completed 19 rotations of surface clearances across 1,609 acres
• 651 MEC/MPPEH items vented, to date
• Total of 115,335 lb. of MDAS recycled, to date.

Farallon de Medinilla Range (FDM) Range, CNMI

• Range sustainment, including vegetation management to accomplish MEC clearance, aerial target removal and replacement, and debris removal
• Total of 36.5 acres surface cleared of MEC
• 134,340 lb. of MDAS identified, removed and/or explosively disposed
• Executed 99 total helicopter lifts to insert, move, and secure targets during 10-day window of operation.