Soldiers in the 108th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade got a chance to test their combat readiness during “Red Flag,” a joint training exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), Nevada, from 18 February through 6 March 2009.

     Originally established in 1975, the Red Flag concept was intended to better prepare U.S. forces for combat. The exercise, hosted by the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis, has evolved since then and now incorporates service members from all the branches of the U.S. military and the militaries of our allied nations.

     In the past, Red Flag mainly focused on the combat readiness of Air Force personnel, but now it imposes a complex multi-dimensional use of ground and air-space combat elements to include the Army’s ADA units. The inclusion of more joint elements at Red Flag is a result of the increasing joint integration in all aspects of integrated air and missile defense (IAMD).

      “I never realized the (effort) needed to coordinate a well executed defense plan, and the development of all the flight paths, and just how many tracking pieces there really are,” said Captain James Compton, a fire control officer with the 108th ADA Brigade.

     Compton worked hand-in-hand with Air Force personnel daily, incorporating air defense units into the Air Force’s defense designs. Each day of the exercise contained detailed morning and evening briefings to cover coordination, flight paths, and scenarios. The detailed coordination that the 1st Battalion, 7th ADA (1-7 ADA) conducted was an excellent refresher for future coordination the battalion will conduct with both the air operations center (AOC) and maritime operations center (MOC) during its next rotation to the Persian Gulf.

     A and B Battery, 1-7 ADA brought two minimum-sized engagement elements and emplaced them in remote locations of the Nevada desert. During the exercise both units had several successful “delousing” exercises. Delousing is when a friendly aircraft being pursued by a hostile aircraft is lured into the kill zone of an air defense unit standing by for engagement.

Soldiers from B/1-7ADA, train on launcher march order and emplacement techniques during a “Red Flag” exercise held Nellis AFB, Nevada (18 February – 6 March 2009).

 
      “Since Patriot training predominantly focuses on engaging cruise and ballistic missiles, and not aircraft, there is a high margin of error during delousing and it poses a significant challenge to the ADA unit on the ground,” said Major Mark Holler, the operations officer for the  108th ADA Brigade.

      According to Lieutenant Colonel John Randel, Operational Deputy of the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC), the use of these tactics demonstrates the Battalion's ability to conduct very close coordination and pass a quality data package with U.S. and Coalition aircraft.

     Sergeant Daniel Humphreys, an air defense tactical operations center operator in B/1-7 ADA, had the opportunity to work directly in the unit command post and assist with the engagement control station in early air warning system training.

     “It’s good to be tracking live air tracks and seeing the true flight of tactical aircrafts, not the simulated tracks I’m used to seeing,” said Humphreys.

     In addition to air engagements, the Soldiers also received several other types of training at the unit tactical sites.

     Sergeant Richard Bliar, a Patriot Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer with 1-7 ADA, cross trained with both light-wheeled vehicle mechanics and with the air defense tactical operations center operators on Patriot Advanced Capabilities 2 and 3 (PAC-2 and PAC-3) launcher orders. He also trained on emplacement drills and trouble-shooting on these systems.

Command Sergeant Major Sidney D. Weatherspoon (left), 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC), observes “detainee search” training.

    Soldiers in other squads focused on room-clearing and prisoner of war search and detainment techniques.

    “I am getting a lot of good training without distractions way out here in the middle of nowhere.” said Private First Class Taylor Mark.

     The Commanding General of the 32nd AAMDC, Brigadier General Robert H. Woods, had an opportunity to speak with Major General Stephen Hoog, Commanding General of Nellis AFB, during the conclusion of Red Flag and discussed future improvements to the relationship between ADA and the Air Force.

     Woods also witnessed first hand the complexity involved in the morning planning brief between the ADA fire control officer, the Control and Reporting Center, and the 1-7 ADA tactical site. Concluding his visit with a trip to 1-7 ADA’s tactical site, Woods spoke with unit commanders and Soldiers about the exercise and award 32nd AAMDC coins to exemplary Soldiers.