Cuddeback Airfield
| Cuddeback Airfield | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of George Air Force Base | |||||||
| Cuddeback Lake, Mojave Desert, California Near Edwards AFB / Mojave, California in United States | |||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Type | Air-to-ground gunnery range and emergency landing strip | ||||||
| Owner | United States Department of Defense (formerly) | ||||||
| Operator | United States Air Force | ||||||
| Controlled by | Air Force Flight Test Center / George Air Force Base | ||||||
| Condition | Abandoned | ||||||
| Other facilities | Camera targets and gunnery targets | ||||||
| Location | |||||||
Cuddeback Airfield Location in California Cuddeback Airfield Cuddeback Airfield (the United States) | |||||||
| Coordinates | 35°16′50″N 117°23′54″W / 35.28056°N 117.39833°W | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1955 | ||||||
| Built for | Air-to-ground gunnery and emergency landing | ||||||
| Built by | United States Air Force | ||||||
| In use | 1959 - 1983 | ||||||
| Fate | Closed | ||||||
| Events | 15 November 1967 X-15 crash in which USAF astronaut Michael J. Adams lost his life. | ||||||
| Designations | Cuddeback Air-to-Ground Gunnery Range, Cuddeback Lake Air Force Range | ||||||
| Test information | |||||||
| Training | Simulated low-level nuclear delivery training (with NAS China Lake); air-to-ground gunnery and bombing practice | ||||||
| Remediation | None | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | LID: CUD | ||||||
| Elevation | 700 feet (210 m) AMSL | ||||||
| |||||||
| Other airfield facilities | Camera targets for X-15 program, gunnery scoring targets | ||||||
Cuddeback Airfield, also known as Cuddeback Air-to-Ground Gunner Range and Cuddeback Lake Air Force Range (NASA LID: CUD) was an air-to-ground military training facility and emergency landing strip located on Cuddeback Lake in Mojave Desert, California. It was operated by the United States Air Force from 1959 until 1983, supporting live-fire strafing, bombing, and missile training for fighter and attack aircraft, including the Republic F-105 Thunderchief and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The range was also designed for the X-15 program, equipped with camera targets. The airfield operated in coordination with the nearby Edwards Air Force Base and George Air Force Base, and personnel were often rotated by helicopters due to its remote location.