[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 35 (Thursday, February 23, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11417-11419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03539]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 73

[Docket No. FAA-2016-9591; Airspace Docket No. 16-ASW-21]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Establishment of Temporary Restricted Area R-5602; Fort 
Sill, OK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to establish temporary restricted area R-
5602, over the Fort Sill, OK, R-5601 restricted area complex, to 
support the U.S. Army Maneuver & Fires Integration Experiment (MFIX) 
2018 scheduled for December 2017. MFIX 2018 is planned to exercise 
hazardous laser operations conducting counter unmanned aircraft systems 
(UAS) activities. The temporary restricted area would be in effect from 
December 4 through December 15, 2017.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 10, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; 
telephone: 1 (800) 647-5527, or telephone: (202) 366-9826. You must 
identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2016-9591 and Airspace Docket No. 16-ASW-
21, at the beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments 
through the Internet at www.regulations.gov. You may review the public 
docket containing the proposal, any comments received, and any final 
disposition in person in the Dockets Office between 9:00a.m. and 5:00 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office 
(telephone 1-800-647-5527), is on the ground floor of the building at 
the above address.
    Comments on environmental and land use aspects to should be 
directed to: U.S. Army Garrison, Directorate of Public Works, Attn: 
IMSI-PWE (Sarah Sminkey), Environmental Quality Division, Fort Sill, OK 
73503-5100;

[[Page 11418]]

email: [email protected]; telephone: (580) 442-2849.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Airspace Policy Group, 
Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority for This Rulemaking

    The FAA's authority to issue rules regarding aviation safety is 
found in Title 49 of the United States Code. Subtitle I, Section 106 
describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, 
Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the agency's 
authority. This rulemaking is promulgated under the authority described 
in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that section, 
the FAA is charged with prescribing regulations to assign the use of 
the airspace necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and the 
efficient use of airspace. This regulation is within the scope of that 
authority as it would establish temporary restricted area airspace at 
Fort Sill, OK, to enhance aviation safety and accommodate essential 
U.S. Army hazardous above-the-horizon laser operations conducting 
counter UAS activities.

Comments Invited

    Interested parties are invited to participate in this proposed 
rulemaking by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they 
may desire. Comments that provide the factual basis supporting the 
views and suggestions presented are particularly helpful in developing 
reasoned regulatory decisions on the proposal. Comments are 
specifically invited on the overall regulatory, aeronautical, economic, 
environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal.
    Communications should identify both docket numbers (FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2016-9591 and Airspace Docket No. 16-ASW-21) and be submitted in 
triplicate to the Docket Management System (see ADDRESSES section for 
address and phone number). You may also submit comments through the 
Internet at www.regulations.gov.
    Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments 
on this action must submit with those comments a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to FAA Docket No. FAA-2016-9591 and Airspace Docket No. 16-ASW-21.'' 
The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
    All communications received on or before the specified closing date 
for comments will be considered before taking action on the proposed 
rule. The proposal contained in this action may be changed in light of 
comments received. All comments submitted will be available for 
examination in the public docket both before and after the closing date 
for comments. A report summarizing each substantive public contact with 
FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the 
docket.

Availability of NPRMs

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
Internet at www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's Web page at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/.
    You may review the public docket containing the proposal, any 
comments received and any final disposition in person at the Dockets 
Office (see ADDRESSES section for address and phone number) between 
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. An informal docket may also be examined during normal 
business hours at the office of the Operations Support Group, Central 
Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood Blvd., 
Fort Worth, TX 76177.

Background

    As the U.S. Army's Center of Excellence for Fires, Fort Sill has 
submitted a proposal to the FAA to establish a temporary restricted 
area overlying a portion of the Fort Sill R-5601 restricted area 
complex, and extending slightly eastward, to support the Army's 
Maneuver & Fires Integration Experiment (MFIX) 2018 planned for 
December 4-15, 2017. The proposed restricted area would contain 
hazardous laser activities associated with demonstrating and developing 
training employment tactics for counter UAS capabilities.
    Specifically intended to destroy unmanned aircraft, the hazardous 
laser activities require additional short-term restricted airspace to 
supplement the existing Fort Sill R-5601 complex and ensure the 
protection of nonparticipating air traffic when hazardous activities 
are occurring. Minimal aeronautical impact is anticipated since the 
temporary restricted area would be located above the existing R-5601 
complex which extends from the surface to 40,000 feet mean sea level 
(MSL), and the designated altitudes of the temporary restricted area 
would extend upward from 40,000 feet MSL to 60,000 feet MSL.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 73 to establish 
temporary restricted area R-5602 in support of MFIX 2018 during the 
period December 4-15, 2017, to contain hazardous laser activities 
demonstrating counter UAS capabilities. To effectively segregate 
nonparticipant air traffic from the hazardous activities associated 
with MFIX 2018, R-5602 would extend from 40,000 feet MSL to 60,000 feet 
MSL, would be activated daily by a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), and would 
be in effect only during the period of December 4 through December 15, 
2017.
    The proposed lateral boundaries for R-5602 would overlie and extend 
upward over the ceilings of the R-5601A, R-5601B, and a portion of R-
5601F restricted areas and extend approximately 8 nautical miles (NM) 
east beyond the R-5601A and R-5601F eastern boundaries. Collectively, 
the R-5602 proposed boundaries and existing R-5601 restricted areas 
would fully contain the planned hazardous laser beam trajectories, 
within restricted area airspace, from the surface to 60,000 feet MSL.
    The proposed designated altitudes for R-5602 would extend upward 
from 40,000 feet MSL to 60,000 feet MSL. The altitudes are defined 
relative to MSL to highlight that the proposed area would be used for 
other than aircraft operations. From an air traffic perspective, 
establishing R-5602 for other than aircraft operations reduces radar 
separation requirements for circumnavigating the temporary restricted 
area and minimizes impacts to aviation.
    The proposed time of designation for R-5602 is by NOTAM with an 
expected usage of approximately 2 hours per day during the MFIX 2018 
period of December 4--15. The activation periods are planned for 0930 
to 1130 or 1300 to 1500 daily; however, due to the heavy dependence on 
favorable weather and unpredictability of seasonal weather patterns, 
NOTAM activations could be adjusted as operationally necessary. 
Planning to use R-5602 only 2 hours per day during MFIX 2018 further 
minimizes impacts to aviation.
    Since R-5602 is a temporary area, it would not be depicted on the 
Dallas-Ft. Worth Sectional Aeronautical Chart or the IFR Enroute High 
Altitude Chart, H-6. However, a notice and graphic depiction would be 
published in the Notices to Airmen Publication (NTAP).

[[Page 11419]]

The NTAP is available on line at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/notices/.

Regulatory Notices and Analyses

    The FAA has determined that this proposed regulation only involves 
an established body of technical regulations for which frequent and 
routine amendments are necessary to keep them operationally current. 
It, therefore: (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under 
Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under 
Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulatory Policies and Procedures 
(44 FR 11034; February 26, 1979); and (3) does not warrant preparation 
of a regulatory evaluation as the anticipated impact is so minimal. 
Since this is a routine matter that will only affect air traffic 
procedures and air navigation, it is certified that this proposed rule, 
when promulgated, will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act.

Environmental Review

    This proposal will be subjected to an environmental analysis in 
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies 
and Procedures,'' prior to any FAA final regulatory action.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 73

    Airspace, Prohibited Areas, Restricted Areas.

The Proposed Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 73 as follows:

PART 73--SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE

0
1. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g); 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 
10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.


Sec.  73.56  Oklahoma [Amended]

0
2. Sec.  73.56 is amended as follows:
* * * * *

R-5602 Fort Sill, OK [Temporary]

    Boundaries. Beginning at lat. 34[deg]49'30'' N., long. 
98[deg]08'43'' W.; to lat. 34[deg]36'36'' N., long. 98[deg]08'43'' 
W.; to lat. 34[deg]36'36'' N., long. 98[deg]17'01'' W.; to lat. 
34[deg]38'15'' N., long. 98[deg]17'01'' W.; to lat. 34[deg]38'15'' 
N., long. 98[deg]37'57'' W.; to lat. 34[deg]40'54'' N., long. 
98[deg]37'56'' W.; to lat. 34[deg]42'07'' N., long. 98[deg]37'20'' 
W.; to lat. 34[deg]43'21'' N., long. 98[deg]36'02'' W.; to lat. 
34[deg]43'30'' N., long. 98[deg]35'40'' W.; to lat. 34[deg]45'03'' 
N., long. 98[deg]29'46'' W.; to lat. 34[deg]46'15'' N., long. 
98[deg]25'01'' W.; to lat. 34[deg]47'00'' N., long. 98[deg]17'46'' 
W.; to lat. 34[deg]46'45'' N., long. 98[deg]17'01'' W.; to lat. 
34[deg]49'30'' N., long. 98[deg]17'01'' W.; to the point of 
beginning.
    Designated altitudes. 40,000 feet MSL to 60,000 feet MSL.
    Time of designation. December 4--15, 2017, by NOTAM.
    Controlling agency. FAA, Fort Worth ARTCC.
    Using agency. U. S. Army, Commanding General, U. S. Army Fires 
Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, OK.

    Issued in Washington, DC on February 8, 2017.
Leslie M. Swann,
Acting Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2017-03539 Filed 2-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P