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Air Force Plant 70, Rancho Cordova

Air Force Plant 70 is east of Sacramento and covers about 13,000 acres (only 1% government-owned) and includes 372,000 square feet of floor space (only 7% government-owned). The government’s production facilities are highly integrated into those belonging to the contractor. Operated by Aerojet General Corp. since it was constructed in 1957, the plant was used by the Air Force as a liquid-fuel rocket manufacturing facility. Air Force Plant 70 has supported rocket engine manufacturing activities for the Air Force (Delta, Minuteman and Titan), the Navy (Polaris), the Army (Hawk), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

 

In the early 1950s Aerojet General Strategic Propulsion Co. moved into the Sacramento area to create a testing site for hazardous rocket motor and engine operations, which had previously been conducted at a facility at Azusa, CA. Aerojet General deeded 52 acres to the government, which built two temporary buildings (with a design life of 5 years) to support the Titan missile. Later the site was used to manufacture and support the Minuteman program.

 

In 1969, the property was declared excess, and McClellan AFB acquired the facility to use the buildings for a warehouse and a photo lab. In 1975, the facility was transferred to the Air Force Systems Command. In the early 1980s Aerojet General was awarded the MX Missile contract. The USAF attempted to sell the facility to Aerojet General, but the company refused the offer. As of 1986, AFP 70 supported the MX Peacekeeper (95%) and the Titan and Minuteman (5%) programs. Aerojet General’ s Sacramento operations also supported: the AIM-9 Sidewinder, the RIM-24 Tartar, UGM-84 Harpoon, MIM-23 Hawk, AIM-7 Sparrow, AUM-45 Shrike, GBU-22 Paveway II, Astrobee, AIM-54 Phoenix, LGM-25 Titan, Shuttle, Mark-56 Quickstrike, the Minuteman Motor, Polaris, and Small ICBM.

 

Air Force Plant 70, consisting of 52.44 acres in Rancho Cordova, Calif., was sold to Aerojet General Corporation in early 1999. Participants in the negotiations of the settlement, known as "Global Settlement," included the Defense Contract Management Command, the Defense Contract Audit Agency, General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Air Force and Navy. The Air Force received $7.5 million as a result of the settlement, minus the GSA fees. This money was available for environmental remediation activities at other Air Force industrial plants. The settlement also allowed for demolition of abandoned Navy facilities on Aerojet's property, and resolved several other outstanding environmental contractual issues.

 

Copied with permission from globalsecurity.com

 

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Updated 23 June 2017