Military

Boston Area Complex

The Boston Area complex is located in the waters adjacent to the coasts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York.

The Boston OPAREA is a surface and subsurface operating area off the Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts coast. It overlaps W-102, W-103, W-104, Small Point Mining Range, and submarine transit lanes. The area extends from surface to ocean bottom. The Boston OPAREA is used for surface-to-air gunnery, ASW tactics, and surface/subsurface operations.

The Small Point Mining Range is an open-ocean area located approximately 16 NMI southeast of the NAS Brunswick VORTAC, Channel 99, bearing 100°, within Boston OPAREA-AREA 1B and the NAS Brunswick Approach Control Area. The range extends from the surface up to 3000-feet MSL. The Small Point Mining Range is used for aircraft minelaying exercises employing inert ordnance. Scoring is accomplished manually from the rake towers at Small Point and at Sebasco Point. The range is available seven days a week, sunrise to sunset; Visual Flight Rule (VFR) conditions apply. Telephone requests require 24 hours notice.

Warning Area 102 (W-102) W-102 is special-use airspace over the Boston OPAREA-AREAs 2 and 3 located approximately 28 NMI northeast of the NAS Brunswick VORTAC, Channel 99, bearing 045°. W-102 is divided into a low and high area. W-102 (low) extends from surface to 17,000-feet. W-102 (high) extends from 17,000-feet to FL600. W-102 is used for air-to-air gunnery and AntiSubmarine Warfare (ASW) tactics exercises employing conventional ordnance.

Warning Area 103 (W-103) W-103 is special-use airspace over the Boston OPAREA-AREAs 1A through 1E and is located approximately 20 NMI southeast of the NAS Brunswick VORTAC, Channel 99, bearing 150°. W-103 extends from surface to 2,000-feet MSL. W-103 is used for surface and ASW tactics. Firing of five-inch or larger guns are not be conducted within 15 miles of land.

Warning Area 104 (W-104) W-104 is special-use airspace over the Boston OPAREA-AREA 7 and is located approximately 75 NMI southeast of the NAS Brunswick VORTAC, Channel 99, bearing 140°. W-104A is divided into three subareas: A, B, and C. W-104A extends from surface to 10,000-feet, W-104B extends from surface to but not including FL180, and W-104C extends from FL180 to unlimited altitude. W-104 is used for surface-to-air gunnery exercises using conventional ordnance and ASW exercises.