SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany - In the continuing effort to meet the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command vision as the premiere Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC), 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment participated in the first joint exercise with the 480th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing. The joint exercise was to validate Patriot and F-16 interoperability during a suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) and defensive counter air (DCA) operations. Through this joint effort 5-7 ADA reinforced the enduring objectives of Combat and Training Readiness and Theatre Security Cooperation and Partnership.
From December 8-10, 2014, the well trained Soldiers of Delta Battery, 5-7 ADA stationed in Rhine Ordnance Barracks conducted convoy operations to Spangdahlem Air Base and emplaced their Patriot equipment adjacent to the Spangdahlem flight line. After emplacing their Patriot equipment, to include their radar, Delta Battery began to monitor the air picture within the 52nd Fighter Wing's combat training area. While serving as both a friendly and enemy surface to air missile (SAM) site, Delta Battery was able to use its Live Air Trainer (LAT) software to simulate Patriot engagements and execute Track Via Missile (TVM) illumination target acquisitions. The use of the TVM illumination allowed the pilots to recognize a missile lock from a SAM site and acknowledge they had been engaged.
Through this unique training exercise, members of both Delta Battery and the 52nd Fighter Wing, gained immense exposure to a variety of theater air and missile defense assets. It educated leaders from both units on how to enhance interoperability between friendly air defense assets and aviation assets. With both the 480th Fighter Squadron and the 10th AAMDC supporting the United States Forces European Command commander's mission, the interoperability of these two different organizations is critical to the success of the mission. This exercise will serve as a launching point for a series of joint exercises in the near future.
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