Military

Phillips Army Airfield

Capabilities at the Phillips Army Airfield at Aberdeen Test Center (ATC) include alert, refueling, fire guard services, an air traffic control tower with all weather capabilities/day and night. The runways are capable of landing any aircraft, as are the ramp/hard surface areas. Drop zones include personnel, container delivery system, and standard training bundles. Automotive Testing Capabilities include steering and handling, lane change/J turns, brake testing in all weight classes and at high speed. Warfighter training opportunities include training exercises support, training facilities, in partnership with Naval Air Warfare Center at Patuxent River, MD.

The existing airfield has three active runways and associated taxiways. Runway 4/22 is 8,000 feet long and 200 feet wide and has a high-intensity lighting system, an approach lighting system, and other lighting aids. Runways 8/26 and 17/35 are 5,000 feet long and 150 feet wide and are used for daytime operations only. The airfield has a Very-high Omni Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigational aid located on the field that provides a non-precision instrument approach to Runways 22 and 8. The airfield also has Global Positioning System (GPS) and Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) instrument approaches to Runways 22 and 8. The air traffic control tower is operated by the Army and is open from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday.

Airfield support facilities are located on the northern side of the airport. This area contains 35,700 square feet of maintenance hangar and associated warehouse/flight support office space, approximately 150,000 square feet of apron and ramp area, helicopter parking positions, the air traffic control tower, a Fire Station, and automobile parking. On the southern side of the airport, there are two aprons consisting of approximately 470,000 square feet of apron area capable of supporting air cargo operations.

Phillips Army Airfield is conveniently located within a few short miles of several existion industrial/business parks in Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, and Bel Air, as well as within minutes of major economic redevelopment sites along the U.S. Route 40 Corridor. Phillips and Harford County are located on the I-95 corridor approximately 1/2 hour from the population center of Baltimore and within one hour from Philadelphia. The area is easily accessible by road, rail, and with the addition of Phillips, by air. Furthermore, the major economic engine of Harford County is the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a U.S. Army installation, Not only is the Proving Grounds the County's largest employer, but is also a magnet for high tech companies taking part in the research and development activities at the base.

Phillips Army Airfield may be opened to general aviation and commercial operations under a plan that's being advanced by the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA). Harford County, where the base is located, has been looking for a public-use airport for 13 years, and APG has everything it needs. It has access to U.S. 40 and Interstate 95, and the CFX rail line runs immediately adjacent to the property. The military became amenable to the proposal when budgeting changes reduced funding for Aberdeen's airfield. Most garrison commanders in the Army, instead of having specific funding for the airports, have to take it out of their normal budgets.

Phillips Army Airfield, with an 8,000-foot runway, two 5,000-foot runways, an operating control tower, sizable areas of undeveloped land, and a strategic location presents a unique opportunity to Harford County, the City of Aberdeen, and to Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). Under a proposal by the County and City to create a joint-use facility at Phillips, the airfield will be opened to general aviation uses that target corporate aviation, heavy-aircraft maintenance, and specialized, low-volume, high-cost, cargo operations. The goal is to attract new technology-driven firms to the area that will benefit from use of Phillips, such as high value service oriented businesses and research and development firms. The opportunity is to utilize an existion asset, Phillips Army Airfield, to further expand the County's revenue base, while providing quality, high-paying job opportunities to Harford County residents, and to further support the mission of the Aberdeen Proving Ground.