Missile to Fly through Cibola Skies

Fort Wingate Missile Test Rescheduled for November, Area Closure in Effect
  • Missile to Fly through Cibola Skies
    Missile to Fly through Cibola Skies
  • A missile soars into the night sky during a test launch at Fort Wingate, lighting up the surroundings as it blasts off toward White Sands Missile Range. The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command conducted this test to enhance missile defense capabilities. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
    A missile soars into the night sky during a test launch at Fort Wingate, lighting up the surroundings as it blasts off toward White Sands Missile Range. The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command conducted this test to enhance missile defense capabilities. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

    Following a postponement of October's planned missile test, the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command has announced revised launch dates for the beginning of November.

    A missile test will now take place between Fort Wingate and White Sands Missile Range, with the primary launch scheduled for Saturday, November 2, and a backup date set for Sunday, November 3. Cibola County residents can expect to see the missile flying overhead during these dates, weather permitting.

    The missile test from Fort Wingate will likely feature the Black Dagger Short Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM), a type frequently used in similar exercises. Designed for missile defense evaluations, Black Dagger missiles serve as 'target' rockets that simulate potential threats, allowing the U.S. Missile Defense Agency to test and enhance interception technologies. These missiles typically have limited range and payload, focusing instead on precise flight characteristics that mimic short-range ballistic threats. While these test launches are controlled and pose minimal risk to the public, the data gathered plays a crucial role in advancing national defense capabilities.

    In preparation for the launch, the U.S. Forest Service has reissued a Temporary Area Closure Order (Order 03-03-02-24-12), effective from November 1 at 2 PM through November 3 at 4 PM, unless rescinded earlier. The closure will affect public lands within specific sections of the Mt. Taylor Ranger District, Cibola National Forest, spanning Township 14N, Range 16W, and Township 13N, Range 16W.

    The closure encompasses multiple entry points, beginning at the Forest Service gate on NFS Road 547 in Six Mile Canyon and extending through marked section lines.

    The U.S. Army emphasizes that these precautions are essential for public safety, as the missile launch involves both pre-launch preparation and test activities that could pose risks to nearby areas. This temporary restriction is intended to prevent accidents, safeguard visitors, and ensure an uninterrupted test process.

    Access Restrictions and Exemptions

    Under Order 03-03-0224-12, the following individuals are exempt from the closure: 

    1. Permitted Individuals: Those possessing a Forest Service Permit (FS7700-48), which explicitly exempts them from this order.

    2. Authorized Personnel: Federal, state, or local officers and official rescue or firefighting teams conducting their duties.

    Penalties for violating the closure order include a Class B misdemeanor charge, which may lead to fines of up to $5,000 for individuals, $10,000 for organizations, or imprisonment for up to six months.

    Despite Fort Wingate’s primary mission ending in 1993, a designated 6,465acre section remains active for such missile defense tests. Since at least 2020, the Army has periodically launched Black Dagger Short Range Ballistic Missiles from Fort Wingate to White Sands as part of ongoing missile defense initiatives.

    Tags
    Cibola Military
    Cibola Aviation
    Fort Wingate