Search and rescue training at the Pinecastle Bombing Range, March 25, 2025. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly (public domain).
Navy Schedules Live Bombing in the Ocala National Forest Oct. 27-29, 2026
This is a community news article published on 2026-10-25 covering local Marion County, Florida news. Naval Air Station Jacksonville has posted three live bombing sessions at the Pinecastle Range Complex in the Ocala National Forest: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2-3:30 p.m.; and Thursday, Oct. 29, 1-2:30 p.m.
A Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 9 aircrewman during search and rescue training at the Pinecastle Bombing Range, March 25, 2025. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
The Posted Schedule
| Date | Bombing time (ET) | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Oct. 27 | 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Live |
| Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 2 to 3:30 p.m. | Live |
| Thursday, Oct. 29 | 1 to 2:30 p.m. | Live |
Each session is 90 minutes, and all three fall in daylight hours. The Navy's notice says the dates come from "Navy training schedules," and schedules can change, so the NAS Jacksonville homepage is the place to check before heading into the forest. This is the second bombing week posted this month; the Navy also scheduled training on Oct. 5-8.
Wildlife and Driving Advisory
With the schedule, the Navy warns that wildlife may be temporarily displaced during bombing periods. It asks drivers to use extra caution in the Ocala National Forest and surrounding areas, asks residents to secure anything around their homes that could attract animals, and asks everyone to be mindful of larger animals, including black bears, and to practice BearWise measures. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's black bear page has more. State Road 19 and State Road 40, the two main highways through the forest, both pass near the range.
How to Report Noise
The Navy lists one contact for noise complaints: email nasjax.noisecomplaints@us.navy.mil. For questions about the forest itself, the notice points to the National Forests in Florida Facebook page. The range itself is closed to the public.
About the Pinecastle Range
Pinecastle sits inside the Ocala National Forest in Marion County. NAS Jacksonville describes its three ranges, Pinecastle, Rodman and Lake George, as including "the only Navy live-fire range on the East Coast." The range's history, its 5,698-acre target and buffer area, and how often training happens are covered in our guide, Loud Booms in the Ocala National Forest: The Pinecastle Range. Visitors planning a trip to the springs, trails or OHV areas this week can find maps and park details in our Ocala National Forest guide.
Source: Naval Air Station Jacksonville, "Pinecastle Range Complex Training Schedule," NAS Jacksonville homepage, checked Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this article; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing.
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