REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama -- U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command-trained Soldiers will soon be deployed to operate the Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance, or AN/TPY-2, radar in Israel's Negev Desert.
The 13th Missile Defense Battery Soldiers will fall under the operational command of U.S. Army Europe's 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.
The AN/TPY-2 is a high-resolution, X-band radar array integrated into the Ballistic Missile Defense System, or BMDS.
On Sept. 18, the United States and the State of Israel had a ribbon-cutting ceremony to signify the completion of the Temporary Life Support Areas, or TLSA, which will house and support the 13th Missile Defense Battery Soldiers.
"This is historic because the U.S. now has the authority from the State of Israel to permanently deploy and station Soldiers in country," said Col. Matthew T. Tedesco, director, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Capability Manager for Global Ballistic Missile Defense. "Over the next six months U.S. Soldiers will deploy to operate the radar and manage the power at the site. The TLSA consists of pre-fabricated buildings and infrastructure and is located on another site in close proximity to the radar."
Tedesco outlined the role of SMDC's Future Warfare Center as the force generation proponent for the Army's five missile defense batteries.
"SMDC 'generates' the people, structure and equipment and places them around the world in support of the Global Ballistic Missile Defense mission," Tedesco said.
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