| Base | Primary Role | Aircraft (Type / Count) | Operations / Series | Primary Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Springs AFB, NV | On-site AFSWC operating base; all NTS sampler aircraft departure / return / decontamination point | Per shot: 5–7 F-84G / B-57B samplers + 1 B-57 control + 1–3 B-25 / B-29 / B-50 trackers + 2–3 C-47 couriers + 1–2 H-21 / H-19 helicopters (~12–16 aircraft per shot-day). Assigned pool: ~18 F-84s + 6 B-57s + support fleet. | RANGER, BUSTER-JANGLE, TUMBLER-SNAPPER, UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB, HARDTACK II | DNA Wheeler-Morgan; DNA-6008F; DNA-6017F; DNA-6018F; SWEH-2-0034 |
| Kirtland AFB, NM | AFSWC organizational HQ (4950th Test Group / 4900th ABG); C-47 courier flights carrying hot samples to LASL / UCRL | 2–3 C-47s per shot (courier only; not forward-deployed at NTS) | RANGER, BUSTER-JANGLE, TUMBLER-SNAPPER, UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB, HARDTACK II | DNA Wheeler-Morgan; SWEH-2-0034 |
| Camp Mercury Airstrip, NV | On-site helicopter survey / decontamination point; security-sweep light aircraft | 1–3 H-21 / H-19 helicopters + 1–2 L-20 / Bonanza per shot | RANGER, BUSTER-JANGLE, TUMBLER-SNAPPER, UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB, HARDTACK II | DNA Wheeler-Morgan |
| George AFB, CA | HOT decontamination center; home base for 479th FBW and 14-state ANG rotational units; Project 53.9 TAC recon-training aircraft return / washdown point | Dozens of aircraft decontaminated over 11 years; 479th FBW F-86Hs + ANG F-33A / F-84 / T-33 aircraft from 14 states on rotation; 1 T-33 documented at CHARLESTON (Project 53.9) | RANGER, BUSTER-JANGLE, TUMBLER-SNAPPER, UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB, HARDTACK II, DOMINIC (1951–1962) | 479th FBW Unit History; DNA-6017F; DNA-6018F; DNA-6008F; DNA-6006F; DNA Wheeler-Morgan (Shot CHARLESTON §8.2.4) |
| Norton AFB, CA | HOT decontamination / washdown center for returning NTS aircraft | Not specifically quantified in declassified record; confirmed by EPA review of AF documentation | UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB (multiple NTS series) | 1992 Senate Hearing (forced disclosure via Norton RAB) |
| Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ | Nuclear cloud sampling aircraft washdown / decontamination (officially reported) | Not specifically quantified in declassified record | UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB (multiple NTS series) | 1992 Senate Hearing (officially reported) |
| Holloman AFB, NM | Nuclear cloud sampling aircraft washdown / decontamination (officially reported) | Not specifically quantified in declassified record | UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB (multiple NTS series) | 1992 Senate Hearing (officially reported) |
| Nellis AFB, NV | Nuclear cloud sampling aircraft washdown (Lake Mead & Indian Springs sub-points cited) | Not specifically quantified in declassified record | RANGER, BUSTER-JANGLE, TUMBLER-SNAPPER, UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB | 1992 Senate Hearing (officially reported) |
| March AFB, CA | Pre-deployment staging base for PLUMBBOB aircraft before forward move to Indian Springs | Not specifically quantified; staging only | PLUMBBOB (1957) | AFSC Historical Series SWEH-2-0034 |
| Edwards AFB, CA | Pre-deployment staging base for PLUMBBOB aircraft before forward move to Indian Springs | Not specifically quantified; staging only | PLUMBBOB (1957) | AFSC Historical Series SWEH-2-0034 |
| Walker AFB, NM | Pre-deployment staging / equipment rehearsal for Pacific sampler aircraft | Not specifically quantified; staging only | IVY (1952) | SWEH-2-0034 |
| Bergstrom AFB, TX | Pre-deployment staging / crew rehearsal for Pacific sampler aircraft | Not specifically quantified; staging only | IVY (1952) | SWEH-2-0034 |
| Randolph AFB, TX | Home station: USAF School of Aviation Medicine dosimetry project personnel (Project 39.1) | No aircraft assigned; personnel deployment only | PLUMBBOB (1957) | DNA Wheeler-Morgan |
| Brooks AFB, TX | Home station: USAF School of Aerospace Medicine Radiobiological Laboratory (Project 39.6 biological effects studies) | No aircraft assigned; personnel deployment only | PLUMBBOB (1957) | DNA Wheeler-Morgan |
| McClellan AFB, CA | Primary logistics / aircraft maintenance hub; documented radioactive waste contamination from testing support | Logistics and depot-level maintenance; specific aircraft count not declassified | RANGER, BUSTER-JANGLE, TUMBLER-SNAPPER, UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, TEAPOT, PLUMBBOB, HARDTACK I, HARDTACK II, DOMINIC | USAF Radioisotope Committee (1972); CERCLA records |
| NAS North Island / NAS Miramar, CA | Navy staging base for A3D (Skywarrior) heavy-attack indoctrination flights (Project 51.3) | 2 A3D aircraft (crew 3–4 each); 6 A4D scheduled but canceled | PLUMBBOB — Shot NEWTON (1957) | DNA Wheeler-Morgan §5.2.4 |
| NAS Whidbey Island, WA | Navy alternate staging base for A3D heavy-attack indoctrination flights (Project 51.3) | 2 A3D aircraft (shared staging with San Diego; alternate point) | PLUMBBOB — Shot NEWTON (1957) | DNA Wheeler-Morgan §5.2.4 |
| Hickam AFB, HI | Pacific hub for high-altitude cloud sampling; transit and staging point | Multiple B-57 and WB-50 / WB-29 high-altitude samplers; count varies by shot | HARDTACK I, DOMINIC | DNA-6038F; SWEH-2-0034 |
| Barbers Point NAS, HI | Pacific sampling-support and transit hub | Support and transit aircraft; specific count varies by shot | HARDTACK I, DOMINIC | DNA-6038F |
| Christmas Island (UK territory) | Primary forward staging base for DOMINIC airdrop aircraft | Multiple B-52 delivery aircraft + supporting KB-50 / KC-135 tankers + WB-50 samplers; fleet of ~30+ aircraft per shot cycle | DOMINIC (1962) | SWEH-2-0034; DNA DOMINIC series reports |
| Eniwetok Atoll (FRED Island), Marshall Islands | Primary Pacific forward operating base; sampler aircraft staging, post-mission return, and on-site decontamination | Per major shot: 4–8 B-57 / WB-29 samplers + 1–2 control / chase aircraft + C-54 / C-47 couriers + support aircraft; total 12–20 aircraft per shot-day | IVY (1952), CASTLE (1954), REDWING (1956), HARDTACK I (1958) | SWEH-2-0034; AD-A951616 |
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