1940 – 1970s
With the
advent of high-performance jet aircraft, the possibility of a Soviet manned
bomber attack against the United States emerged. This brought about a resurgence in air
defense activity. Numerous anti-aircraft
units, both heavy and light guns, were added to the Army inventory. For the first time, light anti-aircraft
battalions became organic to Army divisions.
Heavy anti-aircraft artillery gun battalions were deployed around
critical asses within the United States.
Guns ultimately gave way to long-range air defense missiles to counter
the threat of long range nuclear bombers flying at extremely high
altitudes.
The AAA
School at Bliss focused on the development of surface-to-air and the First
Anti-Aircraft Artillery Guided Missile Battalion was
created to assist in the effort. The
Battalion participated in the first American firing of a captured German V-2
rocked at White Sands Proving Ground, New Mexico, on 16 April 1946.
On 11
June 1946, the AAA School came under the command of the newly established
Anti-aircraft Artillery and Guided missile Center, Fort Bliss. On 1 November 1946, the War Department
directed the redesignation of the AAA School to
the Anti-Aircraft and Guided Missile Branch.
Coastal Artillery was inactivated in 1950. Finally, the Air Defense Artillery Branch was
established on 20 June 1968 by General Order No. 25.
The
firing of the first all-American missile, the WAC Corporal, highlighted the
early part of 1947. By the mid-1950s,
both Nike and Corporal missiles reached operational status. The Nike Ajax represented a major
break-through in technology and is the forerunner of today's family of Air
Defense missiles.
As the
threat posed by intercontinental ballistic missiles increased, the manned
bomber threat decreased. This lead to
the elimination of air defenses within the United States and Air Defense
planners concentrated on defending American maneuver forces.
1970 – 1990
During
this time period the Air Defense Artillery Branch underwent an aggressive
modernization program resulting in the fielding of new weapon systems such as
Patriot and Avenger. Concurrently with
this modernization of weapon systems was a modernization of Air Defense
concepts leading ultimately to development of enhanced anti-ballistic missile
capabilities for Patriot which set the conditions for success on the future
battlefield.
1990 – Present
During
Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Patriot, Hawk, Vulcan and Avenger units played
key roles in defending sea ports, air bases, logistics centers and maneuver
forces. Throughout the air and ground
campaigns, ADA units’ battle against Iraqi ballistic missiles became one of the
most highly publicized events of the war with Patriot being singled out for
helping to ensure coalition solidarity.
In
March 2003, Coalition forces again entered Iraq conducting one of the most
swift and precise campaigns ever. US Air
Defense Artillery forces were again key members of the combined arms team with
Patriot engaging every threatening Iraqi missile using the recently fielded
PAC-3 capability.
Today’s
ADA forces face a growing and complex threat including ballistic, cruise, and
air-to-surface missiles, rotary and fixed-wing aircraft capable of delivering
cannon fire, sub-munitions and conventional bombs, unmanned aerial systems
(surveillance and attack), and artillery, rockets and mortars (RAM). In response to these threats, ADA uses a host
of integrated weapons and sensors including Patriot, Avenger, Sentinel, and the
new Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) and Terminal High Altitude
Area Defense (THAAD) Systems. C-RAM is
now deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring
Freedom to counter the threats posed by RAM, and is saving lives of US soldiers
and coalition partners. The first THAAD
battery successfully completed operational testing and is progressing towards
Materiel Release while the second THAAD battery is currently in training.