Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert of California is home to the National Training Center (NTC), the US Army's largest manoeuvre training ground. Across more than 2,600 square kilometres of desert, cut through by mountain ranges and dry riverbeds, brigades prepare for combat operations against a seasoned opposing force — the famous "OPFOR".
The extreme, open desert terrain with large elevation differences makes navigation and positioning a discipline in itself: there are hardly any landmarks and the distances are enormous. MGRS coordinates form the backbone of every operation at the NTC. On this page you can see Fort Irwin's MGRS zone, its terrain features and an interactive map and 3D view that bring the rugged desert geography to life.