Air Defense Artillery (ADA)
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The Air Defense Artillery (ADA) is America’s 911 Force. As an Air Defender, you will defend the American homeland against long-range ballistic missiles, terrorist aerial strikes, or shield deployed U.S. forces. Theater missile defense has become a prerequisite to U.S. military intervention, since allied countries routinely demand the deployment of U.S. Air Defense Artillery forces to protect their citizens and infrastructure from retaliatory missile strikes before allowing other U.S. forces to use their country’s airfields, airspace, or debarkation facilities.
ADA's Transformation
As the Army transforms, ADA will transform. Units formerly known as brigades, divisions, corps, and Armies will develop into modular "Plug and Play" units. ADAM (Air Defense and Airspace Management) Cells will be introduced into modular maneuver units. A ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD - formerly the National Missile Defense) Brigade will be established and the Army Space Operations, which is closely aligned to ADA functions, will grow.
New war fighting elements will include:
- ARMIES: The units of employment (UEy) will become the Army component of a Joint Major Command and will be referred to geographically. These Army headquarters will be capable of assuming the duties of a Joint Task Force (JTF) or a Joint Force Land Component Command (JFLCC) with augmentation from other Services and controlling operations. Soldiers assigned to one of these commands will wear the patch of a traditional numbered army and perpetuate its lineage and honors.
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CORPS AND DIVISIONS: The unit of employment (UEx) will become three-star and two-star headquarters of about 800 and 1000 Soldiers each with the capability of functioning as a JTF and a JFLCC. The three-star UEx will have greater capabilities than our current corps headquarters, and will perpetuate the lineage and honors of a historical corps. The two-star UEx will have greater capabilities than our current division headquarters, and will perpetuate the lineage and honors of an historical division.
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BRIGADE COMBAT TEAMS (BCT): The unit of action (UA) will become a BCT, and will perpetuate the lineage and honors of a divisional brigade or separate brigade. The unit designs formerly known as Support Units of Action (SUAs) will now be organized into five types of Support Brigades.
- COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADES will perpetuate the lineages and honors of historical divisional or separate aviation brigades.
- FIRES BRIGADES will perpetuate the lineages and honors of historical separate artillery brigades.
- BATTLEFIELD SURVEILLANCE BRIGADES will perpetuate the lineages and honors of historical military intelligence brigades, or other appropriate units.
- COMBAT SUPPORT BRIGADES (Maneuver Enhancement) will feature an entirely new lineage and patch effective upon activation.
- SUSTAINMENT BRIGADES will perpetuate the lineages and honors of the sourcing historical division support commands, corps support commands, and support groups.
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BATTALIONS: The constituent battalions for BCT's will continue the lineage and honors of Army Regimental Systems, battalions; as they have for nearly 50 years. The special-troops battalion of each BCT will perpetuate the lineage and honors of the headquarters company of the brigade being perpetuated by the BCT. Battalions subordinate to the support brigades will also continue the lineage and honors of Army Regimental System battalions.
ADA forces will be introduced onto the battlefield. Targeting, airspace command and control, and early warning are common functions performed by officers assigned to these cells. All ADA combat units will be assigned to the UEy-level of command and task organized to UEx or lower levels of command as missions dictate. ADA units will reorganize into composite AMD or MAMD battalions consisting of Patriot, Avenger and Sentinel systems; or Patriot pure battalions. Future plans include the introduction of a host of new missile systems (shooters) and early warning systems (sensors) which will integrate into these units overtime.
ADA’s transformation will improve its mobility, deployability and will provide the Army and Regional Combatant Commanders with the capability of operating on joint and multi-national battlefields. The role of the Air Defender will become more diverse to include key developmental positions, assignment locations and military/civilian educational opportunities.
 Your First Duty
Assignment
As a new ADA lieutenant graduating from the ADA Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC), you could be assigned to either an Avenger/Patriot battery, a Sentinel Radar detachment or a Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) battery defending forward operating bases from indirect fire attacks. The personnel
requirements needing to be filled for ADA across the Army and the joint AMD community is growing.
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