Outlaw, Jackal, Morenci, Reserve MOAs

Click on the figures below to view the existing airspace structure and the proposed changes by alternative. The table below the figures provides a summary of the existing attributes of the MOAs (Alternative 1 – No Action) and the proposed changes to the MOAs by alternative for comparison.

There are no proposed changes to the size or shape of the Morenci or Reserve MOAs under any of the alternatives. The primary changes under Alternative 2 include lowering the floor of the Outlaw and Jackal MOAs to 500 feet above ground level (AGL) and authorizing supersonic operations down to 5,000 feet AGL in all four MOAs. Chaff and flares are currently used in all of these MOAs and would continue under all of the alternatives, but the minimum release altitude for flares would be lowered to 2,000 feet AGL in the Outlaw and Jackal MOAs to align with the new lower floor.

Alternatives 3 and 4 are variations of Alternative 2. Under Alternative 3, all of the changes described above would be made except the floor of the Jackal MOA would be lowered to 100 feet AGL. This MOA would be lowered to make up for the loss of training airspace that would have been gained under Alternative 2 by expanding the northern boundary of the Tombstone MOA. Since Alternative 3 doesn’t include the northern expansion of Tombstone MOA, the Jackal MOA would be lowered as an alternative.

Under Alternative 4, all of the same changes as described for Alternative 2 would be made except supersonic operations would be authorized down to 10,000 feet AGL in Outlaw and Jackal MOAs.

Alternative 1—No Action, Existing Airspace

Alternatives 2 and 4

Alternative 3

MOA	Attributes and Operations	Alternative 1 - No Action, Existing Airspace	Alternative 2	Alternative 3	Alternative 4
Outlaw	Times of Use	0700-1800 M-F1800-2200 M-F by NOTAM Intermittent weekends by NOTAM	0600-2200 M-F, other times by NOTAM
	Horizontal Dimensions	2,627 sqmi	No change
	Vertical Dimensions	8,000 feet MSL or 3,000 feet AGL (whichever is higher) to FL180	500 feet AGL to FL180 ATCAA raised to FL510 by default
	Chaff/Flare Authorization (minimum release altitude)	Yes/Yes (3,000 feet AGL)	2,000 feet AGL minimum release
	Supersonic Authorization	30,000 feet MSL	5,000 feet AGL		10,000 feet AGL
	Annual Sorties³	5,190	6,610	7,710	6,610
	Annual Supersonic Sorties⁴	623	925	1,079	925
Jackal	Times of Use	0700-1800 M-F1800-2200 M-F by NOTAM Intermittent weekends by NOTAM	0600-2200 M-F, other times by NOTAM
	Horizontal Dimensions	4,714 sqmi	No change
	Vertical Dimensions	Jackal Low: 100 feet AGL to 11,000 feet MSL or 3,000 feet AGL (whichever is higher) Jackal MOA: 11,000 feet MSL or 3,000 feet AGL (whichever is higher) to FL180	Jackal Low: 100 feet AGL to 500 feet AGL Jackal MOA: 500 feet AGL to FL180 ATCAA raised to FL510 by default	Jackal Low: removed Jackal MOA: 100 feet AGL to FL180 ATCAA raised to FL510 by default	Jackal Low: 100 feet AGL to 500 feet AGL Jackal MOA: 500 feet AGL to FL180 ATCAA raised to FL510 by default
	Chaff/Flare Authorization (minimum release altitude)	Yes/Yes (3,000 feet AGL)	2,000 feet AGL minimum release
	Supersonic Authorization	30,000 feet MSL	5,000 feet AGL		10,000 feet AGL
	Annual Sorties/Supersonic Sorties	Used with Outlaw
Morenci	Times of Use	0600-2100 M-F; other times by NOTAM	0600-2200 M-F, other times by NOTAM
	Horizontal Dimensions	2,325 sqmi	No change
	Vertical Dimensions	1,500 feet AGL to FL180	No change
	Chaff/Flare Authorization (minimum release altitude)	Yes/Yes (2,000 feet AGL)	No change
	Supersonic Authorization	30,000 feet MSL	5,000 feet AGL		10,000 feet AGL
	Annual Sorties³	3,350	4,050
	Annual Supersonic Sorties⁴	369	446
Reserve	Times of Use	By NOTAM	0600-2200 M-F, other times by NOTAM
	Horizontal Dimensions	3,348 sqmi	No change
	Vertical Dimensions	5,000 feet AGL to FL180	No change
	Chaff/Flare Authorization (minimum release altitude)	Yes/Yes (5,000 feet AGL)	No change
	Supersonic Authorization	30,000 feet MSL	5,000 feet AGL		10,000 feet AGL
	Annual Sorties/Supersonic Sorties	Used with Morenci

Legend: AGL = above ground level; ATCAA = Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace; FL = Flight Level; MSL = mean sea level; NOTAM = notice to airmen; M – F = Monday through Friday; sqmi = square miles

Notes:

¹ The ceilings of the Outlaw and Jackal ATCAAs are defined in a Letter of Agreement with the FAA as FL510, but the Air Force only receives the space above FL290 when the Outlaw and Jackal ATCAAs are scheduled with the Morenci and Reserve ATCAAs. Therefore, the default ceiling is currently FL290. Under all alternatives, the Letter of Agreement would be modified to allow the default ceiling when scheduling the Outlaw and Jackal ATCAAs to be FL510 without having to also schedule the Morenci and Reserve ATCAAs.

²Altitude references for aircraft operations are presented in several units of measure: AGL, MSL, and FL:

AGL references are usually used at lower altitudes (almost always below 10,000 feet), when clearance from terrain is more of a concern for aircraft operation.
MSL altitudes are used most across aviation when operating at or below 18,000 feet when clearance from terrain is less of a concern for aircraft operation.
FL is used to describe the cruising altitudes for aircraft traveling long distances above 18,000 feet. Flight Levels are given in hundreds of feet, e.g. FL180 is 18,000 feet.

³Annual sorties account for all based aircrews in Arizona and transients.

⁴Supersonic speed does not occur for the duration of a sortie, but rather during one or more 30-60 second increments. The number of supersonic sorties is a subset of the Annual Sorties presented in the row above.