THAAD battery certifies Table VIII

Sgt. William Bolderson

11th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

Soldiers guarding the entry control point called to the Battery Control Post to inform them the evaluators had arrived. The reconnaissance, selection, and occupation of position crews, who wore chemical, nuclear, biological suits, quickly aligned their vehicles and laid out all the equipment. They were ready for the evaluations.

A Battery, 4th Air Defense Artillery Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, conducted Table VIII certifications at McGregor Range, N.M., March 8 through 11. Evaluators from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 11th ADA Bde., had arrived a week after the Soldiers began their Field Training Exercise to verify that all tasks, conditions, and standards were followed in accordance with stated requirements and that the crews did not commit any safety violations.

Sgt. Charles Hayes, the A-4 THAAD’s fire control section leader, said he was confident his unit was ready to be evaluated and is ready to head down range.

“Most of the crews have been here since we started our Table Eights, so I’m certain that we’ll certify ‘first-time-go,’” said Hayes. “We’ve had the equipment out here for two, going on three months for FDE. As far as being ready for a deployment, I believe we’re ready.”

Crews presented proper maintenance documentation and operator licenses upon the evaluators’ arrivals. They conducted thorough searches of equipment for sub-serviced mechanical and electrical parts.

After their order arrived, RSOP crews manned light-medium tactical vehicles with M-2.50 caliber machine guns and quickly established a perimeter around the testing site.

The Tactical Operation Center, Launcher Control Station, Power Production Unit, and radar and launcher crews followed suit and were in position the following day.

Once radar halting indicated the beginning of the drill, all three launchers were placed and operational in under 15 minutes, immediately followed by the other crews. A-4 THAAD Soldiers were given two hours for the mobilization and four hours for positioning and set-up.

Tactical Control Officers and Tactical Controller’s Assistants then engaged in simulated air battles once A-4 THAAD reached full combat operability and once all tasks and standards were complete to the brigade evaluator’s satisfaction, the battery was Table VIII certified.

A-4 THAAD now prepares for upcoming Limited User Testing, which will be conducted by the Fires Test Directorate and the Missiles Test Division. The LUT will focus on the operational capabilities and limitations of the THAAD weapon system and determine its eligibility for material release to the Army.