Sharp shooting: Multi-lane, Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range design for the Marine Corps’ training of the future
At a glance
As part of the ASMD Joint Venture (JV), GHD provided specialized range design services supporting the delivery of the P-735 Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range (MPMG) at the Mason Live Fire Training Range Complex, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Guam. The design successfully overcame geotechnical challenges to optimize interaction with surrounding military facilities and civilian activities while minimizing environmental impact.
The challenge
The GHD Security, Training Area and Ranges design team was contracted by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific to support the US Marine Corps (USMC) through the ASMD JV to design a 1000-meter automated MPMG range on the Mason Live Fire Training Range Complex, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Guam.
The 105-acre area was the only available spot on the island that complied with the space requirements for the live fire shooting training. The site is surrounded by heavy vegetation on one side, four live ranges on another and a cliff leading to the Pacific Ocean. The site is also adjacent to Andersen Air Force Base, an active airfield.
Considering the variety of civilian and military facilities and activities, innovative civil engineering solutions were required to design and comply with the Surface Danger Zone and achieve Line of Sight (LoS) successfully for the eight-lane machine gun range, designed with multiple walk-in fighting pits (mounted and dismounted) and 316 electro-mechanical targets within the emplacements across the eight lanes. Environmental mitigation measures were also required to protect the ecosystem from live range contamination.
The project represents a US $128 million investment in training capability and is expected to be fully completed in late 2026.
Our response
Following the US Army Corps of Engineers Design Guide, USMC's Range Design Guide and the team’s experience and technical knowledge of live ranges, we participated in a series of design charrettes with USMC's Warfighters (requirements team) to modify the landscape and comply with the range requirements for the selected location. The trapezoidal area is 1,000 meters long, with a width of 160 meters at the 0-meter mark and 320 meters at the 1,000-meter mark. At the end of the range is a 28-foot earthen berm that captures spent rounds, containing projectiles within the range footprint and minimizing environmental impact.
Modifying the site’s topography included earthwork to clear the range's main footprint and installing two groundwater monitoring wells. Additional structures include a range control tower, an ammunition distribution point, a bleacher building and an administrative building. Supporting facilities include a gravel maintenance road and mechanical, electrical and telecommunication utilities.
The JV team designed the MPMG Range with multiple target emplacements in each of the eight 20-meter-width lanes. The 1000-meter unknown distance range design focused on USMC’s training outcome and user requirements for both current and future training scenarios for the automated MPMG Range.
The impact
The resulting design enables safe training and testing for the Warfighters on the skills necessary to detect, identify, engage and defeat stationary and moving infantry targets, as well as stationary and moving armor targets. This range also supports night fire operations.
With an extensive Surface Danger Zone and a clear LoS across the eight lanes, this design ensures no disruptions to airfield operations or adjacent firing ranges. Civilian activities on the bay beyond the cliff are also protected from live round ricochets.
The earth berm at the site’s end captures spent rounds and shields stormwater from lead contamination due to live fire, thus minimizing environmental impact.