Members of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command prepare to launch one of the last Lance short-range ballistic missile targets at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. The target was launched during ...
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama -- In 2015, Soldiers and civilians of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command were deployed or forward stationed across eleven time zones, supporting critical operations around the globe 24 hours a day in defense of the nation.
The command's many ongoing efforts this year include: supporting unarmed Minuteman III launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, which impacted approximately 4,200 miles away, near the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, or RTS, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands; the SMDC Targets Team's successfully launching risk reduction flights at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, of improved low-cost missile targets; launching of low-cost targets during a Multi-Mission Warfare system performance testing; the opening of a new Medical Home Health Clinic at Fort Greely, Alaska; and space and missile defense training for Warfighters as well as civilian team members.
"I am excited about what has been accomplished this past year and I am enthusiastic about what the next year has in store," said Lt. Gen. David L. Mann, SMDC commanding general. "Our Soldiers, civilians and contractors continue to expertly provide security, defend our homeland and protect our troops abroad and our allies around the world."
The Army chief of staff designated Mann as the Army's Air and Missile Defense Enterprise integrator in support of the Army's vision for Force 2025 and beyond, and that designation, along with visits by Department of Defense senior leaders throughout the year, emphasized the command's strategic importance.
Visitors to the command in 2015 included then Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno; Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Daniel B. Allyn; Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander, U.S. Strategic Command; Navy Adm. William E. Gortney, commander, U.S. Northern Command; Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey and Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James.
"I have been very impressed with what I have seen today at SMDC, from a technology standpoint, an operational standpoint and, most importantly, from a people standpoint," James said during her visit to the command in September. "I am very impressed with the Soldiers and civilians I have met today and their important contributions."
One of those contributions are the operations at RTS that help protect the nation around the clock. The range provides, on average, 138 hours weekly to support space tracking. In fiscal year 2015, RTS provided first tracking of 28 of 51 foreign launches. The range acquired 80 percent of all Eurasian launches.
"It's a monumental effort that's not always appreciated," Mann said.
SMDC's deputy commanding general for operations talked about what SMDC's Soldiers are doing on a daily basis to defend the nation.
"Our missile defenders from the 100th Missile Defense Brigade are defending America from ballistic missile attack 24/7/365," said Brig. Gen. Gregory S. Bowen. "They are the '300 defending 300 million.'"
A key command priority is its efforts to develop the next generation of nanosatellites that will continue to benefit the Warfighter. Working with launch partners at the National Reconnaissance Office, the command launched three nanosats in October as part of SMDC/ARSTRAT Nanosatellite Program, or SNaP, constellation.
SNaP is a small SatCom, constellation that will allow communication across great distances using existing UHF tactical radios making the future of SatCom more responsive to Soldiers' needs.
Soldiers from the 53rd Signal Battalion visited the SMDC Concepts Analysis Laboratory in October to familiarize themselves with the SNaP to learn how to train others before heading to South America to work with U.S. Southern Command.
"These satellites demonstrate a low-cost solution for providing communications down to the squad-level," Mann said. "Nanosats are tremendously beneficial for units operating in remote locations while on the move, and allow tactical leaders to better synchronize actions and seize the initiative while maintaining situational awareness."
Another effort SMDC is involved with is improving the capability to train units at their home station, to operate in contested space environments using SMDC-designed Space Training Kits, demonstrating not only GPS jamming, but satellite communication jamming at brigade level and below.
SMDC's 1st Space Brigade Soldiers are also working 24/7/365, providing critical satellite communications and theater missile warning in support of critical defense missions.
"They provide missile defense, missile warning, satellite communications, force tracking, intelligence, and direct support to ground operations," Bowen said. "In short, they allow the Army to shoot, move and communicate."
From requirements generation, to research and development, to operations, the command's ready and resilient Soldiers and civilians are at the core of Warfighter support.
"The Soldiers serving in SMDC/ARSTRAT are by far the smartest, most mission-focused Soldiers I have worked with in my 32 years of service," Bowen said. "In addition to our Soldiers, our civilians make critical contributions to this command and are the most dedicated group of professionals I have ever worked with. Because of the nature of our missions, many within the Army do not know what we do. Our Soldiers and civilians don't get a lot of recognition or credit for all they do, but they know how important our missions are and they continue to amaze me every day."
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