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The Tonopah Test Range is part of the North Range region of the NAFB.  It is also known as the Tonopah Electronic Combat Range (TECR).  The TECR is the main, manned threat simulator range and has simulated electronic threats that include surface-to-air missle (SAM) sites with numerous anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire control radars to simulate a realistic array of signals.  The threats are located in as realistic a configuration as possible (given the proximity to live bombing ranges) to simulate enemy air defense arrays.  The presence of acquisition radars adds to the realism of the environmnet and provides data for command and control of the integreated air defense system.
    It is about thirty miles southeast of Tonopah, Nevada.  TTR was the principal secret testing ground for the F-117A stealth fighter during its development.  It was also used by Sandia National Laboratories under DOE contract for the development of delivery systems for atomic weapons.  The "Red Flag" ranges in the northern part of the Nellis Range are administered out of TTR by Detachment 2 of the 99th Range Squadron.  Although many secret projects have gone on there, the main base of TTR is easily visible from public land, and you can glimpse it (as well as its sign) from Highway US-6.

    Some documents refer to a Tonopah Electronic Combat Range.  The TECR is located on the east side of TTR, quite a few miles from the TPECR.
    The TTR range partners are: Sandia National Laboratories, The Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse and Burro Program, and the Department of Energy's Nevada Operations office.
    Sandia's operations had no connection with the TECR except for sharing the land and airspace.  They did provide some support tot he TECR such as civil engineering, etc.  TECR was essentially a lessee there. Most of the support facilities belonged to Sandia.  A few years later (1980) a new Operaions and Maintenance Facility was built to the south and east of the Sandia compound.  There was a helicopter pad there and some old bunkers.  The presence of the bunkers was purely coincidental.
    TTR's current mission (as of March 18, 1998) is: Emergency Divert/Recovery Airfield Base in "Caretaker Status."
    Since its establishment in 1958, Tonopah Test Range has provided a complex outdoor laboratory for development, validation, and certification of DOE designed weapon systems and components.  In recent years, the range has expanded its support to include complex developmental and operational testing projects from Department of Defense (DOD) agencies and their contractors.
    The principal function of the Sandia-operated portion of the range is to provide Research and Development test support for DOE funded weapons projects.  However, the range represents a unique test environment, both in location and capabilities, and is available for use by other Government agencies and their contractors.

Sources:
    Nellis Air Force Base