Air defense artillery
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Air defense artillery (ADA) is a combat arms branch of the United States Army, with the responsibility of protecting ground forces from aircraft and missile attack. While the usual emphasis is on operations in the field, if the U.S. deploys a national ballistic missile defense system, ADA would operate it were it deployed.
The Army has recognized that there have been no aircraft attacks on U.S. forces in the last several decades, although Iraq used SS-1 SCUD (and derivative) ballistic missiles in the Gulf War, and there is a decreased need for traditional ADA in the field. [1] There is a need for ballistic missile defense, and new capabilities may allow defense against unguided rockets, artillery and mortars. Cruise missiles are also a possible threat in the field; anti-shipping missiles were used by Iraq in 1991, and comparable land-based systems exist.
It is not being suggested that air attack is impossible, but that offensive counter-air (OCA) operations by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and coalition partners have suppressed the enemy air threat before it reached ground forces.
Air defense systems
ADA operates a layered defense system, with MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missiles and associated radar for defense against high-altitude aircraft and theater ballistic missiles. For low altitude threats,FIM-92 Stinger missile is deployed both as a man-portable air defense system, operated by personnel organic to combat units, and Stinger-carrying vehicles operated by air defense personnel.
As part of the layered system, ADA personnel operate the AN/MPQ-84 air search radar.
Patriot PAC-3 has a theater ballistic missile defense capability, but a newer system, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) is being added to give greater range and coverage than PAC-3 alone. Both systems are compatible with the Navy's RIM-161 Standard SM-3 anti-ballistic missile controlled by the AN/SPY-2 upgrade to the AEGIS battle management systems on its cruisers and destroyers.
While it is not part of the official Army inventory, ADA has deployed some Norwegian SLAMRAAM truck-launched derivatives of the AIM-120 AMRAAM Advanced Medium Range Air Defense missile, as part of U.S. homeland security operations in the Washington D.C. area
Restructuring
ADA is adapting to the new field threat, as well as specialized homeland defense capabilities, ballistic missile defense, and new roles in deconfliction. [2]
In keeping with the restructuring of the United States Army, which is moving to a brigade-based rather than division-based force, ADA is doing away with division-level air defense battalions, and creating composite battalions of Patriot and Avenger battalions. By 2009, ADA is expected to consist of:
- 8 Patriot battalions
- 5 composite battalions
- 1 SLAMRAAM battery for the National Capital Area
Sentinel
Obviously, ADA soldiers are proficient with air defense radar, both those associated with specific missiles, and the AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel air warning radar. This radar, operated both by the Army and U.S. Marine Corps, is being upgraded from 40 mm to 75 km range, and is capable of detecting cruise missiles, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as well as fixed-wing threats.
Warning and deconfliction missions
ADA soldiers are being reassigned to the brigade combat team, unit of employment, and aviation brigade headquarters to restore the air situational awareness that had been provided by divisional ADA battalions. They now rub Air Defense Airspace Management (ADAM) cells in headquarters units in Iraq and Afghanistan, not principally to detect threats but help deconflict the extremely busy airspace full of airplanes, helicopters, UAVs, and sometimes missiles and artillery. One of the classic laws of combat says that Mr. UAV is no longer our friend. if his flight path intersects the path of our helicopter.
They also operate rapid aerostat initial deployment (RAID) systems and RAID Eagle Eye Sesor in Afghanistan and Iraq, a threat detection system deployed via towers, masts and airships. Electro-optical artillery detection MASINT systems in testing in Afghanistan could join these roles.
Not ADA responsibilities at present, but sensors that could easily become part of the ADAM or other situational role, are counterartillery radar: the Lightweight Countermortar Radar (LCMR), and the medium-range AN/TPQ-36 and long-range AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder radars.
Interoperability
Again in keeping with the realities that air defense, almost by definition, is multi-service, a July 2008 exercise teamed a composite Patriot/Avenger/Sentinel battery to operate jointly with Air Force fighters and a Navy Ticonderoga class cruiser equipped with the AEGIS battle management system.
Future missions
SLAMRAAM is seen as the "shooter" part of the Joint Land-attack cruise missile Elevated Netted sensor (JLENS) under development, for fielding in 2011. With JLENS, SLAMRAAM will replace Avenger, which has little capability against cruise missiles.
It is entirely possible that active defense against unguided rockets, artillery and mortars may be developed, probably using lasers but possibly autocannon. If these are deployed, ADA would probably operate them. There is substantial joint development work with Israel, which has a continuing problem with rocket attack.
References
- ↑ Feickert, Andrew (6 January 2005), Order Code RL32476 p. CRS-21
- ↑ Lennox, Robert P., "Air and Missile Defense goes Global", Army Magazine