Fort Bliss Monitor

Troop Talk

A: This week’s column will answer questions from troops I visited last week. Remaining questions will be covered in next week’s issue of The Monitor.

What is the latest and greatest on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense program?

THAAD is an upper tier ballistic missile defense system designed to kill SRBM/MRBM beyond Patriot and MEADS range and altitude and has some potential against IRBM/ICBM.

The system mitigates weapons of mass destruction by killing at high altitude and long range and it has a high probability of kill. The THAAD has the capability to leverage threat data from external sensors and sources. The system is 90 percent C130 deployable. Major end items are a hit-to-kill missile, launcher, radar, C2BMC, and support equipment.

The THAAD development program currently has three capability blocks which roughly equate to the previous configuration one requirements. Configuration two requirements for the most part would be in future blocks.

• Block 4 (by Dec. 05): Exo (outer space) and endo (earth’s atmosphere) capability; and emergency activation surveillance capability. The Secretary of Defense with input from the Senior Executive Council will decide whether to use THAAD RDTE assets for emergency or contingency deployment, based on assessment of military utility, progress in development, and recommendation by the Director, MDA and the Army.

• Block 6 (by Dec. 07): Exo and endo capability; emergency activation terminal defense engagement capability.

• Block 8 (by Dec. 09): Exo and endo capability; begin transition to the Army of the first two fire units.
Flight tests resume in 3QFY05 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Trained Soldiers will operate all components for flight test #3. Flight testing moves to the Pacific Missile Range Facility, HI in 2006. Soldiers will also participate in government ground testing and demonstrations starting in 2007. Operational testing will be conducted as part of THAAD transition to the Army.

MDA will procure two fire units, each with one radar, one C2 suite, three launchers, 24 missiles, with deliveries in FY09 and FY11. A plan to transition these fire units from MDA to the Army is in development. Currently THAAD has 22 personnel spaces authorized from FY05-07.

190 personnel spaces are authorized in FY08 and FY09 to support fielding of the first fire units.

Renovation of interim training facilities is in progress with estimated completion date of Feb. 05. These will support flight test training requirements and fielding of the initial two fire units.

Those ADA units that have stayed behind (i.e. from deploying to Korea), will they at some point be utilized and tasked out as force protection in Iraq?

There is no plan or pending order for returning ADA Patriot units to Iraq at this time.
Why are Soldiers assigned to 1-44 being reclassed?

The 14S soldiers that are being assigned to 1-44 are not being re-classed. That is an Avenger unit and they will work in their MOS. The MOS 14R is being phased-out in the next year and those soldier do need to find another MOS and reclassify.

With increase of troops to Fort Bliss, is there a potential that a new PX, Commissary or mini-mall will be built at BAAF?

With the increase in soldiers, there are plans to expand AAFES services, a mini-mall on BAAF. Potential exists for additional Commissary services should the number grow beyond 3800 as currently planned.

Maj. Gen. Michael A. Vane
Fort Bliss Commanding General



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	February 24, 2005

	Troop Talk A: This week’s column will answer questions from troops I visited last week. Remaining questions will be covered in next week’s issue of The Monitor. What is the latest and greatest on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense program? THAAD is an upper tier ballistic missile defense system designed to kill SRBM/MRBM beyond Patriot and MEADS range and altitude and has some potential against IRBM/ICBM. The system mitigates weapons of mass destruction by killing at high altitude and long range and it has a high probability of kill. The THAAD has the capability to leverage threat data from external sensors and sources. The system is 90 percent C130 deployable. Major end items are a hit-to-kill missile, launcher, radar, C2BMC, and support equipment. The THAAD development program currently has three capability blocks which roughly equate to the previous configuration one requirements. Configuration two requirements for the most part would be in future blocks. • Block 4 (by Dec. 05): Exo (outer space) and endo (earth’s atmosphere) capability; and emergency activation surveillance capability. The Secretary of Defense with input from the Senior Executive Council will decide whether to use THAAD RDTE assets for emergency or contingency deployment, based on assessment of military utility, progress in development, and recommendation by the Director, MDA and the Army. • Block 6 (by Dec. 07): Exo and endo capability; emergency activation terminal defense engagement capability. • Block 8 (by Dec. 09): Exo and endo capability; begin transition to the Army of the first two fire units. Flight tests resume in 3QFY05 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Trained Soldiers will operate all components for flight test #3. Flight testing moves to the Pacific Missile Range Facility, HI in 2006. Soldiers will also participate in government ground testing and demonstrations starting in 2007. Operational testing will be conducted as part of THAAD transition to the Army. MDA will procure two fire units, each with one radar, one C2 suite, three launchers, 24 missiles, with deliveries in FY09 and FY11. A plan to transition these fire units from MDA to the Army is in development. Currently THAAD has 22 personnel spaces authorized from FY05-07. 190 personnel spaces are authorized in FY08 and FY09 to support fielding of the first fire units. Renovation of interim training facilities is in progress with estimated completion date of Feb. 05. These will support flight test training requirements and fielding of the initial two fire units. Those ADA units that have stayed behind (i.e. from deploying to Korea), will they at some point be utilized and tasked out as force protection in Iraq? There is no plan or pending order for returning ADA Patriot units to Iraq at this time. Why are Soldiers assigned to 1-44 being reclassed? The 14S soldiers that are being assigned to 1-44 are not being re-classed. That is an Avenger unit and they will work in their MOS. The MOS 14R is being phased-out in the next year and those soldier do need to find another MOS and reclassify. With increase of troops to Fort Bliss, is there a potential that a new PX, Commissary or mini-mall will be built at BAAF? With the increase in soldiers, there are plans to expand AAFES services, a mini-mall on BAAF. Potential exists for additional Commissary services should the number grow beyond 3800 as currently planned. Maj. Gen. Michael A. Vane Fort Bliss Commanding General