KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Guarding the skies against theater ballistic missiles and air breathing threats is a mission that air defense Soldiers conduct all across the globe. In order to monitor and guard the air space the U.S. Army must maintain a cooperative and interconnected joint-partnership with all U.S. service branches to ensure that the threats can be monitored and eliminated as needed.
Last month the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade stationed at Fort Sill, Okla. sent one of their three Air Defense Artillery Fire Control Officer or ADAFCO Teams to participate in the second of three Joint Kill-Chain Exercises or JKCE at the United States Air Force Distributed Mission Operations Center DMOC here. In addition to hosting JCKE twice a year, the DMOC develops and executes Exercise VIRTUAL FLAG, which helps train ADAFCO teams in synthetic, theater-level, joint combat environments. This ADAFCO Team consisted of Chief Warrant Officer 4 Anson Seebeck, Sgt. 1st Class Peter Paquette and Pvt. 1st Class Jacob Howard.
Together these three Soldiers worked side by side with the U.S. Marines Tactical Air Operations Center, the U.S. Navy Aegis Combat System, and U.S. Air Force flight units that included the Airborne Early Warning and Control and Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System. All three branches use separate systems that are inter-connected to combat the same threat.
"The Air Defense Artillery brigade's battle field takes place in the third dimension, at elevations above comprehension for most terrestrial based Army forces. The addition of steel streaking through the sky with the intent to destroy requires close coordination with the Airspace Control authorities," said Maj. Nathan Minott, 31st ADA Brigade senior ADAFCO.
The joint operation tested and ultimately developed numerous joint-tactics and procedures needed to guard against several air breathing threats, as each service branch brought their own specific procedures to the fight.
"While some areas have a rotating group of Airmen trained to conduct that task, in situations where the U.S. Navy or Marines are the only game in town joint doctrine dictates that they must control the airspace. Thus, training with the Navy and the Marines Tactical Air Operations Center becomes essential," said Minott.
The ADAFCO Teams from 31st ADA Brigade also conducted a Fleet Synthetic Training- Joint or FST-J that is designed as a certification for carrier groups prior to their deployments around the world's oceans and waterways. Although the exercise were conducted in a virtual environment it incorporated numerous scenarios to include de-conflicting engagements throughout the battle space and also defending ports from air and missile threats.
"Being able to integrate ourselves within a joint-atmosphere is crucial to the air defense fight, we have to maintain a close-knit working relationship with our sister-services to ensure we work as an integrated team," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Anson Seebeck.
Air Defenders of 31st ADA Brigade has always been on the forefront of the air defense fight, from sending Soldiers to Turkey to guard against threats from Syria to supporting United States Central Command in the Middle East. These Soldiers stand ready to engage and destroy any threat that enters their assigned air space.
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