Unit News
First Lt. Eugene Muniz and Staff Sgt. Darrell Way, tactical control officer and assistant, respectively, for A Battery, 4th Air Defense Artillery (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), conduct crew drills at their tactical operation station during a field training exercise March 2. The battery is certifying Gunnery Table VIII this week. Photo by Sgt. William Bolderson, 11th ADA Bde. Public Affairs.
Sgt. William Bolderson
11th ADA Bde. Public Affairs
Soldiers of A Battery, 4th Air Defense Artillery (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), conducted a field training exercise in preparation for Table VIII at McGregor Range, N.M., March 1 through 22.
A-4 THAAD set up base early Monday, establishing THAAD system connections and battery communications to support individual and collective training within the battery.
System operators spent hours on all assigned equipment, including the tactical operation station, launcher control station, power production unit, and radar, rehearsing mobilization and emplacement drills at a “walk, crawl, and run” progression, to gain proficiency and eliminate safety violations.
First Lt. Benjamin Mayhew, the battery trainer, provided feedback on team performances throughout the FTX.
“We have several new crews on the end items,” said Mayhew. “We have to train those crews on their jobs as far mobility. We also have several new air battle crews that we have to train to our weapon’s standard in order to certify. It’s going well. Everyone is learning fast, so we will be ready.”
The battery received movement orders March 8 beginning their Table VIII. The certifications tested each crew within the battery on their knowledge and proficiency on the system. Brigade evaluators verified all procedures were followed in accordance with stated requirements and that crews did not commit any safety violations.
A-4 THAAD will prepare for the upcoming Limited User Testing conducted by the Fires Test Directorate and the Missiles Test Division after completing Table VIII certifications. The LUT will focus on the operational capabilities and limitations of the THAAD weapon system, determining it’s eligibility for material release to the United States Army.
“Certifying is a prerequisite for LUT,” said Mayhew. “This battery cannot accomplish its mission anywhere if it is not certified. We’re not looking past the March timeframe. We have to take everything one step at a time.”