MCO 3550.13 governs the Marine Corps Range Compatible Use Zones Program, including land use, noise, safety, and encroachment protection.
View MCO 3550.13 on armypubs.army.mil
It establishes the RCUZ program process, including RCUZ studies, range compatibility zones, noise contours, and compatible land use recommendations. It requires studies to address range utilization, airspace, aircraft and ordnance noise, land use compatibility, and applicable range safety analyses.
Applies to: RCUZ studies will be prepared for all Marine Corps installations with RTAs within the confines of the United States, its territories, trusts, and possessions.
All Marine Corps installation ranges shall establish and implement an RCUZ Program to protect the operational capabilities of RTAs, to encompass A-G, G-G, G-A, and laser ranges to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and to prevent encroachment from degrading the operational capabilities of RTAs in accordance with this Order. (paragraph 4)
RCUZ studies include a detailed analysis of current and future range utilization, special use airspace, range compatibility use zones, aircraft noise, ordnance noise, and land use compatibility. (paragraph 2)
RCZ I is a composite Weapons Danger Zone (WDZ)/Surface Danger Zone (SDZ)/Laser Surface Danger Zone (LSDZ) footprint for all authorized range operations. RCZ-II defines the area of aircraft armed over-flight. RCZ-III defines the area within the designated Special Use Airspace (SUA) associated with the RTA outside of the areas designated as RCZ I and RCZ II. (paragraph 4)
Installations must conduct a Technical Review if new or changed operations, RTA requirements, weapons systems or platforms, or other circumstances determine the need to update the RCUZ study. (paragraph 4)
The RCUZ study also requires modeling and establishing noise contours for exposure to aircraft noise and blast noise from A-G, G-G, and GA weapons. (paragraph 4)