MOSES LAKE — Military training exercises will continue at a section of the Grant County International Airport following the approval of a 25-year lease between the Port of Moses Lake and the US government for use of a section of the airstrip. Port commissioners approved the agreement Monday. 

Port Executive Director Dan Roach said the lease payment will be about $10,600 per month.  

Airport Director Rich Mueller said the section of the airfield, known as the assault strip or the assault landing zone, provides a location for training and pilot certification that isn’t readily available elsewhere.  

“There is a version of one at Joint Base Lewis McChord, but it is not to certification standards,” Mueller said. “The next closest one is in California. That’s why it’s very important to the Air Force that we have this and keep it available. And for us as well, as they’re one of our key customers. And of course, we used to be an Air Force base, so we’re certainly not going to turn our back on our heritage.” 

The assault strip is part of the airport’s history; Commissioner Kent Jones said it was once a taxiway between the main runways. Now it’s used to train pilots for challenging conditions. 

“Air Force C-17 pilots need to be able to land a fully loaded C-17, which comes in at almost 600,000 pounds, on a strip that’s only 3,500 feet long and 90 feet wide. And they need to be able to do that anywhere in the world, day or night, good weather, bad weather, or pitch black or broad daylight. So that assault strip has been set up for every single one of those scenarios,” Mueller said. 

The C-17s stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord use the strip, he said, but the port has plenty of other customers for it. 

“Pilots not from Joint Base Lewis McChord, but all over the country and sometimes all over the country and sometimes all over the world, will come to our airport to train on that airstrip and receive their certification,” Mueller said. 

It’s also useful for – and used by – other military personnel. 

“We had a C-130 out of Texas here last week using (the) assault strip,” Mueller said. “We have places on the airfield where parachute activity will happen, and they will load back up (at the assault landing zone). Also, they’ll come in and practice loading and unloading equipment and personnel there.”