Definition
A NOTAM contraction indicating remote ground-based equipment associated with a Low Altitude Bombing System (LABS) site. LABSR refers to scoring or sensor equipment located away from the main range, used by military aircraft practicing low-altitude weapons delivery. When this contraction appears in a NOTAM, it signals that the remote equipment's status — operational, unserviceable, or under maintenance — is being reported to airspace users.
Plain English
Equipment placed away from the main military bombing range that helps score or track practice bomb runs. When you see LABSR in a NOTAM, it's telling you something about the status of that off-site gear.
Context Anchor
Seen in NOTAMs and airport equipment status information, especially for airports with GPS-based precision landing guidance.
Derivation
LABS comes from 'Low Altitude Bombing System,' a Cold War-era technique for delivering weapons from low altitude using a pitch-up maneuver. The 'R' stands for 'remote,' meaning equipment located away from the central range site. Knowing the LABS origin helps explain why the term shows up near military training areas rather than at civil airports.
Why Pilots Care
If you're flying near military operating areas or restricted airspace, NOTAMs referencing LABSR may indicate active or inactive military training equipment. The status of this equipment can affect when and how a range is in use, which can in turn affect routing decisions around that airspace.
Intuition Check
LABSR is not a runway, route, or procedure. It names ground equipment; the procedure may be affected only because it depends on that equipment.
Example Sentence 1
The NOTAM listed the LABSR as out of service for scheduled maintenance through the end of the week.
Example Sentence 2
Pilots checked the status of the LABSR before planning the flight.