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Joint team provides watchful eye over AOR

  • Published
  • By Army 1st Lt. Pamela Dampeer
  • 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Since the introduction of combat aviation, there have been troops on the ground standing ready to protect U.S. forces from enemy air attacks. Today, the U.S. Army's combat-proven Patriot weapon system and its Soldiers guard the skies against the threat of air and missile attack.

The 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade recently deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and now acts as the command element for the 5-52nd ADA Battalion and the 1-43 ADA Battalion.

The brigade's official motto, "Ready and Vigilant," describes the unit's en-during commitment to be ever-prepared for any mission; however, you will often hear the Soldiers sound-off with the brigade's unofficial motto of "Unleash Hell," which echoes the unit's pride and confidence in their abilities to execute air defense operations at a moment's notice.

"The ability to provide air defense in-theater allows servicemembers to feel safe knowing that two full battalion's worth of Patriot Soldiers and equipment keep a watchful eye on the horizon," said Col. Daniel Karbler, 31 ADA Brigade commander.

Each battalion consists of four firing batteries and a maintenance company, who together with their sister services, provide regional security and stability by defending designated assets against theater missile threats throughout Southwest Asia. These battalions are part of a U.S. Patriot missile force deployed to honor a standing commitment to the security partnership with this region.

The Patriot weapon system is designed to counter multiple types of threats including unmanned aerial systems, cruise missiles and aircraft.

"Even high-flying, fast-moving tactical ballistic missiles do not get by the Patriot defensive shields," Colonel Karbler said.

With its Patriot Advanced Capability-3, an advanced surface-to-air guided hit-to-kill technology, protecting the AOR against the threat of tactical ballistic missiles has become the Patriot Soldier's primary mission.

To provide this security, the Patriot weapon system is capable of integrating with Coalition networks through the use of inter-computer data exchanges. U.S. Army Patriot units also work side by side with U.S. Air Force personnel at the Control and Reporting Center here to facilitate joint coordination and maximize the effects of both air power and integrated air and missile defense.

"We wear green, they wear blue, but we are all one team in the same fight," said Capt. Brandon Boatwright, 31 ADA Headquarters and Headquarters Battery Forward Detachment commander.

Because of the Patriot system's inherent joint operations, extensive coordination with the Air Force, Navy and Marines is required, as well as Coalition partners who host U.S. Patriot batteries.

"We are truly joint warfighting partners, as evidenced by our active participation in the Battle Space Command and Control Center as part of the joint kill-chain and our controlling authority residing with the Combined Forces Air Component Command," Colonel Karbler said.

While the future of air defense continues to evolve with an ever-changing enemy and evolving threats, it will more than likely include the Soldiers manning the Patriot Weapon System.

"The 31 ADA Soldiers deployed to the U.S. Central Command AOR are true Joint and Coalition warriors. The "Unleash Hell" Brigade is exceptionally proud to be a part of the team of professionals here at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and throughout the AOR," Colonel Karbler said.

(Capt. Stephen Baker, 31 ADA and Senior Airman Michael Matkin, 379 Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)