OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND REVIEW
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Stationing and Fielding the
Indirect Fire Protection Capability Weapon System at Multiple Installations
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) regarding the proposed stationing and fielding of the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Weapon System at multiple installations. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the PEA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the additional soldiers, materiel, and training that are required to field IFPC at each candidate installation. The proposed action would enhance the defensive capability of fixed and semi-fixed assets against aerial threats.
DATES: Comments must be received by
Thursday, August 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent by mail to:
ATTN: Mail Stop 112 (NEPA)
Public Comments
Commander USAEC
2455 Reynolds Rd
JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-7588
Comments can also be sent via email to:
usarmy.jbsa.imcom-aec.mbx.nepa@army.mil with "IFPC Public Comments" as the subject.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: US Army Environmental Command Public Affairs Office at
520-674-2634 or send email to:
usarmy.jbsa.imcom-aec.mbx.nepa@army.mil for assistance with "IFPC PEA" as the subject.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is to field IFPC battalions (BNs) and batteries (BTRYs) at multiple existing Army and joint base installations within the United States, to include associated operations, soldier-training, and maintenance activities. The purpose of the proposed action is to support Air and Missile Defense modernization, consistent with the Army Modernization Strategy. The proposed action is needed to provide a defensive capability by intercepting cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft systems, and large-caliber rockets. This will provide soldiers and units with the modernized equipment and capabilities they will need to be effective in contemporary and future operating environments and improve safety and survivability.
IFPC is a mobile, ground-based weapon system intended to defend fixed and semi-fixed sites, such as airfields and forward operating bases against aerial threats. The IFPC BN includes approximately 735 soldiers, 290 vehicles, 140 trailers, 165 portable generators, 25 radars, and 50 launchers. An IFPC BTRY would field approximately 125 soldiers, operating a radar, two launchers, and support equipment.
The PEA serves as an overview of the potential environmental impacts of fielding the IFPC weapon system at several Army and joint installations. The programmatic approach avoids unnecessary duplication of NEPA analyses, better informs decision makers, and encourages active public involvement. The PEA includes general analyses applicable to most installations. Installations that receive the weapon system might require additional NEPA analysis.
The installations considered in the PEA and FONSI are: Fort Bliss, TX; Fort Campbell, KY; Fort Carson, CO; Fort Hood (formerly known as Fort Cavazos), TX; Fort Drum, NY; Fort Knox, KY; Fort Bragg (formerly known as Fort Liberty), NC; Fort Riley, KS; Fort Sill, OK; Fort Stewart, GA; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA; US Army Garrison Alaska (Fort Wainwright), AK; and US Army Garrison Hawaii, HI. Additional training locations were assessed at Fort Bliss (White Sands Missile Range), Fort Carson (Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site), JBLM (Yakima Training Center), and JBER and USAG Alaska (Donnelly Training Area).
The Army identified three reasonable alternatives that would meet the purpose of and need for the proposed action: Field IFPC BNs and IFPC BTRYs to installations, Field IFPC BNs to installations, and Field IFPC BTRYs to installations. The Army would decide which installations would receive the IFPC weapon system and which alternative to implement at each selected installation.
The Army also carried forward a No Action Alternative for detailed analysis in the PEA. While the No Action Alternative would not satisfy the purpose of or need for the proposed action, it was retained to provide a comparative baseline against which to analyze the effects of the proposed action.
The PEA analyzes the potential effects on the environment of implementing the proposed action, including combined effects. The analysis includes minimization measures, standard operating procedures, and best management practices routinely employed by the installations to reduce potential adverse effects of the proposed action. Resources analyzed in the PEA include air quality, airspace use, biological resources, cultural resources, and hazardous materials and hazardous waste. Based on the analysis presented in the PEA, effects of the proposed action on these resources are expected to be negligible or less than significant at all installations considered.
Government agencies, Native American Tribes, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and the public are invited to submit written comments on the PEA and/or FONSI. The public comment period begins with the publication of this Notice of Availability on the US Army Environmental Command (USAEC) NEPA documents webpage (https://aec.army.mil/Outreach/NEPA-Documents/) and will last for 30 days. The PEA and FONSI also are available to the public on the USAEC NEPA Documents webpage. If you cannot access the PEA online, please email a request for a printed copy to usarmy.jbsa.imcom-aec.mbx.nepa@army.mil or call the USAEC Public Affairs Office at 520-674-2634 and request a copy.
All public comments will be included as an attachment to the FONSI and incorporated as needed into supplemental NEPA documentation. Comments must be received or postmarked by Thursday, August 20, 2026.
Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Weapon System
• Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA)
• Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Programmatic Environmental Assessment of High Power Directed Energy Weapon Systems Fielding, Operations, and Maintenance
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) regarding the proposed fielding, operations, and maintenance of High Power Directed Energy (HP-DE) weapon systems at multiple Army installations. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the PEA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the materiel and training that are required to field HP-DE at each candidate installation. The HP-DE systems would be integrated into existing air defense artillery battalions (BNs) or batteries (BTRYs). The proposed actions would provide a defensive capability to counter cruise missiles; unmanned aircraft systems; and rocket, artillery, and mortar threats.
DATES: Comments must be received by
Thursday, August 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent by mail to:
ATTN: Mail Stop 112 (NEPA)
Public Comments
Commander USAEC
2455 Reynolds Rd
JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-7588
Comments can also be sent via email to:
usarmy.jbsa.imcom-aec.mbx.nepa@army.mil with "HP-DE Public Comments" as the subject.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: US Army Environmental Command Public Affairs Office at 520-674-2634 or send email to: usarmy.jbsa.imcom-aec.mbx.nepa@army.mil for assistance with “HP-DE PEA” as the subject.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is the fielding of High Power Directed Energy (HP-DE) weapon systems to appropriate installations, including operations and maintenance of the weapon systems in support of Army training and mission requirements. The HP-DE weapons systems would consist of four 300-kilowatt (kW) high-energy laser (HEL), four high-power microwave (HPM) systems and four 50-kW laser (Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense Increment 2 Directed Energy [M-SHORAD Inc 2 DE]) systems that would provide directed energy (DE) capabilities for selected kinetic Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) BNs and BTRYs and M-SHORAD BNs. The HP-DE systems would be integrated into existing air defense artillery BNs and BTRYs at multiple existing Army and joint base installations within the United States. The purpose of the proposed action is to support Air and Missile Defense modernization, consistent with the Army Modernization Strategy.
This PEA serves as an overview of the potential environmental effects of fielding HP-DE weapon systems to existing units at Army and joint installations. The PEA includes some installation-specific analysis in addition to general analyses that would be applicable to most locations. Individual installations that receive the weapon systems might require additional NEPA analysis.
The installations considered for HP-DE fielding in the PEA and draft FONSI are: Fort Bliss, TX*; Fort Campbell, KY; Fort Carson, CO*; Fort Hood, TX* (formerly Fort Cavazos); Fort Drum, NY; Fort Knox, KY; Fort Bragg, NC* (formerly Fort Liberty); Fort Riley, KS*; Fort Sill, OK*; Fort Stewart, GA*; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA; US Army Garrison Alaska (Fort Wainwright), AK; and US Army Garrison Hawaii, HI.
The Army identified three reasonable alternatives that would meet the purpose of and need for the proposed action: field HEL, HPM, and M-SHORAD Inc 2 DE systems collectively to an installation, field HEL and HPM to the same or separate installations, and field M-SHORAD Inc 2 DE only to seven installations. The Army would decide which installations would receive the HP-DE weapon system and which alternative to implement at each selected installation.
The Army also carried forward a no action alternative for detailed analysis. While the no action alternative would not satisfy the purpose of or need for the proposed action, it was retained to provide a comparative baseline against which to analyze the effects of the action alternative.
The PEA analyzes the potential effects on the human environment associated with the proposed action, including combined effects. The analysis includes minimization measures, standard operating procedures, and best management practices routinely employed by the installations to reduce potential adverse effects of the proposed action. Resources analyzed in the PEA include air quality (including analysis of greenhouse gas emissions), airspace use, biological resources, human health and safety, and hazardous materials and hazardous waste. Based on the analysis presented in the PEA, effects of the proposed action on these resources are expected to be negligible or otherwise less than significant.
Government agencies, Native American Tribes, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and the public are invited to submit written comments on the PEA and/or draft FONSI. The public comment period begins with the publication of this Notice of Availability on the US Army Environmental Command (USAEC) NEPA Documents webpage (https://aec.army.mil/Outreach/NEPA-Documents/) and will last for 30 days. The PEA and FONSI are available to the public on the USAEC NEPA Documents webpage. If you cannot access the PEA online, please email a request for a printed copy to usarmy.jbsa.imcom-aec.mbx.nepa@army.mil or call the USAEC Public Affairs Office at 520-674-2634 and request a copy.
All public comments will be included as an attachment to the FONSI and incorporated as needed into supplemental NEPA documentation. Comments must be received or postmarked by Thursday, August 20, 2026.