NMFS Biological Opinion on U.S. Navy training ... - Govsupport.us

FINAL PROGRAMMATIC BIOLOGICAL OPINION ON U.S. NAVY ACTIVITIES IN THE HAWAII RANGE COMPLEX 2008-2013
Exercise events typically consist of 1 to 16 aircraft, carrying missiles or bombs (live and inert), rockets, precision
guided munitions, or flying without ordnance (dry runs) are used during the exercise. At sea, Seaborne Powered
Targets (occasionally a live bomb target), Improved Surface Towed Targets, excess ship hulks (live and intert
bombs), and a computer-generated island that is located within the Barking Sands Underwater Range Expansion are
used as targets.
These exercises typically involve helicopters or 1 to 16 fixed wing aircraft with air-to-surface missiles, anti-radiation
missiles (electromagnetic radiation source seeking missiles), high-speed radiation missiles (electromagnetic radiation
producing missiles that simulate radar and radio transmitters), and/or bombs (live and inert), rockets, or precisionguided
munitions. The exercise is typically conducted within PMRF Warning Area and typically last between 5 and 6
hours.
Surface-to-surface missile exercises which are designed to provide training for fleet units in firing surface-to-surface
missiles. The exercise involves one or more surface ships, submarines, and seaborne powered targets (SEPTARs). The
surface ships and/or submarines can operate as a single unit or as multiple fire units against the SEPTARs.
These exercises include 4 to 20 surface-to-surface missiles, a weapons recovery boat, and a helicopter for environmental
and photo evaluation. At sea, SEPTARs, ISTTs, excess ship hulks, and a computer-generated island that is
located within the BSURE are used as targets. The Naval Gunfire Scoring System gathers data for scoring of surface
ships and aircraft conducting gunnery and bombardment exercises within Barking Sands Tactical Underwater Range.
On land, terrain features, constructed props, and/or tank hulks are used as targets. All missiles are equipped with
instrumentation packages or a warhead. Surface-to-air missiles can also be used in a surface-to-surface mode. These
exercises are conducted within PMRF Warning Area. Each exercise typically lasts 2 hours, but could range from 4 to
35 hours.
Anti-submarine warfare exercises which are designed to provide crews of anti-submarine ships, aircraft, submarines,
and helicopters experience in locating and pursuing underwater targets and dropping inert torpedo weapons. The
exercise involves locating and pursuing underwater targets and dropping inert torpedoes from anti-submarine aircraft
and helicopters. Weapon recovery boats and helicopters are used to locate and recover the targets, torpedoes, and
mines.
Exercise events typically include ships, fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, torpedo targets, 1 to 10 submarines, and
weapons recovery boats or helicopters. For example, five submarines participated in RIMPAC 2002 and six
submarines participated in RIMPAC 2008. Weapons used encompass lightweight and heavyweight wire-guided inert
long-range torpedoes launched from helicopters, aircraft, surface ships, and submarines. Sensors used during ASW
events include sonars, sonobuoys, and non-acoustic sensors such as radars. These exercises are conducted within
PMRF Warning Area, the Oahu Warning Areas or the open ocean.
The use of sonobuoys is generally limited to areas greater than 183 meters (100 fathoms, or 600 feet) in depth.
Before dropping sonobuoys, the crew visually determines that the area is clear of marine mammals and sea turtles.
Although the altitude varies at which buoys are dropped, the potential for drift during descent generally favors
release at lower altitudes, where visual searches for marine mammals or sea turtles are more effective. When the
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