Air Defense Artillery
Encyclopedia
The Air Defense Artillery branch descended from the Anti-Aircraft Artillery (part of the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps
) into a separate branch on 20 June 1968. On 1 December 1968, the ADA branch was authorized to wear modified Artillery insignia, crossed field guns with missile.
that specializes in anti-aircraft weapons (such as surface to air missiles
). In the US Army, these groups are composed of mainly air defense systems such as the PATRIOT Missile System
, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, and the Avenger Air Defense system
which fires the FIM-92 Stinger
missile. The branch motto is "First to fire!", patron saint is Saint Barbara
, and unofficial mascot the Oozlefinch
.
(AEF) was created at Arnouville-Les-Gonesse
where an Antiaircraft school was established. the antiaircraft units were organized as serially numbered Battalions during the war, as follows:
These units were organized by Col. James A. Shipton but this organization was disbanded in May of 1918. http://books.google.com/books?id=2BjcAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA624&lpg=PA624&dq=appointed+commandant+coast+artillery+school+++1918&source=bl&ots=Jba0DnqWio&sig=f8pEPkh043tdmV2OnC2rIIWqpBw&hl=en&ei=027FTrW0JeT3sQL-1emHCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=appointed%20commandant%20coast%20artillery%20school%20%20%201918&f=false
In 1938 there were only 5 Regular Army and thirteen National Guard Regiments, but by 1941 this had been expanded to 37 total Regiments. In November 1942, 781 Battalions were authorized. However, this number was pared down to 331 Battalions by the end of the war.
On 9 March 1942 Antiaircraft Command was established in Washington D.C. and in 1944 the AAA school was moved to Fort Bliss
.
Army Anti-Aircraft Command (ARAACOM) was created July 1950, and in 1957, ARAACOM was renamed to US Army Air Defense Command (USARADCOM).
The serially numbered battalions bore the following titles
and later
in 1957 the Combat Arms Regimental System organized the battalions under regiments again.
and finally in 1968 the Air Defense Artillery Branch was created.
In 2010 the United States Army Air Defense Artillery School was moved from Fort Bliss
to Fort Sill
.
U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps
The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps was a Corps level organization responsible for coastal and harbor defense of the United States between 1901 and 1950.-History:...
) into a separate branch on 20 June 1968. On 1 December 1968, the ADA branch was authorized to wear modified Artillery insignia, crossed field guns with missile.
Mission statement
Protect the Force and Selected Geopolitical Assets from Aerial Attack, Missile Attack and Surveillance.Current organization
Air Defense Artillery refers to a combat armCombat Arms
Combat Arms is a multiplayer game, free-to-play modern first-person shooter developed by the South Korea-based developer Doobic Studios, and published by Nexon. The game uses the Lithtech game engine to produce its graphics.- Gameplay :...
that specializes in anti-aircraft weapons (such as surface to air missiles
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
). In the US Army, these groups are composed of mainly air defense systems such as the PATRIOT Missile System
MIM-104 Patriot
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium...
, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, and the Avenger Air Defense system
M1097 Avenger
The Avenger Air Defense System, designated AN/TWQ-1 under the Joint Electronics Type Designation System, is a missile system which provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters...
which fires the FIM-92 Stinger
FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
missile. The branch motto is "First to fire!", patron saint is Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara, , Feast Day December 4, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian saint and martyr....
, and unofficial mascot the Oozlefinch
Oozlefinch
Oozlefinch is the unofficial historic mascot of the Air Defense Artillery – and formerly of the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps. Oozlefinch is portrayed as a featherless bird that flies backwards and carries weapons of the Air Defense and Coastal Artillery, most often a Nike-Hercules Missile...
.
History
on 10 October 1917 an Antiaircraft Service in the American Expeditionary ForceAmerican Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
(AEF) was created at Arnouville-Les-Gonesse
Arnouville-lès-Gonesse
Arnouville is a commune in the Val-d'Oise department in Île-de-France in northern France.Previously known as Arnouville-lès-Gonesse, the name was officially changed to Arnouville on 1 July 2010.-Population:-References:** -External links:* * *...
where an Antiaircraft school was established. the antiaircraft units were organized as serially numbered Battalions during the war, as follows:
- 1st Antiaircraft Battalion through the 10th Antiaircraft Battalion
- 1st AA Machine Gun Battalion through the 6th AA Machine Gun Battalion.
These units were organized by Col. James A. Shipton but this organization was disbanded in May of 1918. http://books.google.com/books?id=2BjcAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA624&lpg=PA624&dq=appointed+commandant+coast+artillery+school+++1918&source=bl&ots=Jba0DnqWio&sig=f8pEPkh043tdmV2OnC2rIIWqpBw&hl=en&ei=027FTrW0JeT3sQL-1emHCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=appointed%20commandant%20coast%20artillery%20school%20%20%201918&f=false
- The National Defense Act of 1920 formally assigned the air defense mission to the Coast Artillery Corps, and 4 Battalions were organized in 1921. In 1924 under a major reorganization of the Coast Artillery the Battalions were reorganized as Regiments.
- (5) Anti-aircraft regiments
- 60th Coast Artillery (AA)
- 61st Coast Artillery (AA)
- 62d Coast Artillery (AA)
- 63d Coast Artillery (AA)
- 64th Coast Artillery (AA)
- (5) Anti-aircraft regiments
In 1938 there were only 5 Regular Army and thirteen National Guard Regiments, but by 1941 this had been expanded to 37 total Regiments. In November 1942, 781 Battalions were authorized. However, this number was pared down to 331 Battalions by the end of the war.
On 9 March 1942 Antiaircraft Command was established in Washington D.C. and in 1944 the AAA school was moved to Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
.
Army Anti-Aircraft Command (ARAACOM) was created July 1950, and in 1957, ARAACOM was renamed to US Army Air Defense Command (USARADCOM).
The serially numbered battalions bore the following titles
- Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
- Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion
- Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion
- Antiaircraft Artillery Searchlight Battalion
- Barrage balloonBarrage balloonA barrage balloon is a large balloon tethered with metal cables, used to defend against low-level aircraft attack by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables, or at least making the attacker's approach more difficult. Some versions carried small explosive charges that would be pulled up...
Battalions
and later
- Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion.
in 1957 the Combat Arms Regimental System organized the battalions under regiments again.
and finally in 1968 the Air Defense Artillery Branch was created.
In 2010 the United States Army Air Defense Artillery School was moved from Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
to Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
.
Major commands
| Command | SSI | Garrison | Subordinate to /Corps or Army |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command Formerly known as the 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment, the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command is a theater level Army air and missile defense organization. The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command was activated on 17 October 2011 in Kaiserslautern, Germany... |
Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... Rhein Ordnance Barracks |
USEUCOM | |
| 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command The 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command is a one-of-a-kind theater level Army air and missile defense multi-component organization with a worldwide, 72-hour deployment mission...
|
 |
Fort Bliss Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the... , (TX) |
FORSCOM United States Army Forces Command United States Army Forces Command is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM consists of more than 750,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National... |
| 94th Army Air & Missile Defense Command |  |
Fort Shafter Fort Shafter Fort Shafter is in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i, extending up the interfluve between Kalihi and Moanalua valleys, as well as onto the coastal plain at Māpunapuna. Fort Shafter is the headquarters of the United States Army Pacific Command, the MACOM of U.S. Army forces in... , (HI) |
United States Army Pacific |
| 263d Army Air and Missile Defense Command | South Carolina Army National Guard South Carolina Army National Guard The South Carolina Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization... |
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Brigade size units
| Brigade | SSI | Subordinate to /Garrison |
Component |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th ADA Brigade (ADA School) | Fort Sill Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars... |
Training and Doctrine Command United States Army Training and Doctrine Command Established 1 July 1973, the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command is an army command of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is charged with overseeing training of Army forces, the development of operational doctrine, and the development and procurement of... |
|
| 11th ADA Brigade 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States) The 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense artillery brigade of the United States Army stationed at Fort Bliss.- Organization :* 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery... |
Fort Bliss Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the... |
32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command The 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command is a one-of-a-kind theater level Army air and missile defense multi-component organization with a worldwide, 72-hour deployment mission... |
|
| 31st ADA Brigade 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States) The 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense artillery brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.- Organization :* 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade ** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery... |
Fort Sill Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars... |
32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command The 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command is a one-of-a-kind theater level Army air and missile defense multi-component organization with a worldwide, 72-hour deployment mission... |
|
| 35th ADA Brigade 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States) The 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense unit of the United States Army subordinate to the Eighth United States Army, located at Osan Air Base in the Republic of Korea.-Structure:* 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade... |
South Korea | Eighth United States Army | |
| 108th ADA Brigade 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States) The mission of the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense artillery brigade of the United States Army. The mission of the brigade is to train and maintain a strategic crisis response air defense artillery brigade capable of deploying worldwide, on short notice, to provide air defense... |
Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell | 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command The 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command is a one-of-a-kind theater level Army air and missile defense multi-component organization with a worldwide, 72-hour deployment mission... |
|
| 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment Activated on 15 April 2008, 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment was a brigade level Air Defense unit of the United States Army. Based in Kaiserslautern, Germany... |
Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people... , Germany. |
V Corps | |
| 164th ADA Brigade 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (United States) The 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an air defense artillery brigade of the United States Army.The unit, based out of Orlando, is composed of two air defense artillery battalions, one transportation battalion, and one field artillery battalion.... |
Florida ARNG | ||
Battalions
| Battalion or smaller sized units | DUI | Subordinate to /Garrison |
Component |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–7 ADA (P), 1–7 ADA (P) |  |
Kaiserslautern, Germany (5–7 ADA 5th Battalion 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment The 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment is an Air Defense unit of the United States Army. It is currently a subordinate unit of the 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment and comprises six battery level units... ), 108th Brigade (1–7 ADA) |
Regular Army |
| 6–52 ADA, 5–52 ADA |  |
35th ADA Brigade (6–52), 11th ADA Brigade (5–52) | Regular Army |
| 1-1 ADA, 2-1 ADA | 69th ADA Brigade (2–1), 94th AAMDC/Kadena Air Base Kadena Air Base , is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena... (1–1) |
Regular Army | |
| *2nd ADA, 3-2 ADA | 11th ADA Brigade (A, Battery 2nd ADA), 31st ADA Brigade, Fort Sill (3-2 ADA) | Regular Army | |
| 4-3 ADA, | 31st ADA Brigade, Fort Sill | Regular Army | |
| A Battery, 4th ADA,3–4 ADA | 11th ADA Brigade (A, Battery 4th ADA), 108th Brigade (3–4 ADA) | Regular Army | |
| 5-5 ADA, 4–5 AMD, |  |
11th ADA Brigade (5–5th ADA), 69th ADA Brigade (4–5 ADA) | Regular Army |
| 1–44 ADA, 2–44 ADA, |  |
69th ADA Brigade (1–44th ADA) Fort Hood, 108th ADA Brigade (2–44 ADA) | Regular Army |
| 1–43 ADA, 2–43 ADA, 3–43 ADA | 11th ADA Brigade | Regular Army | |
| 1–56 ADA | Fort Bliss (until FY 2009), Fort Sill, 6th ADA Brigade (ADA School) | TRADOC United States Army Training and Doctrine Command Established 1 July 1973, the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command is an army command of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is charged with overseeing training of Army forces, the development of operational doctrine, and the development and procurement of... |
|
| HHB Headquarters and Headquarters Company In United States Army units, a headquarters and headquarters company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as an HHC... , 108th ADA Brigade |
 |
Fort Bragg | Regular Army |
| 2–6 ADA, 3–6 ADA |  |
Fort Bliss (until FY 2009), Fort Sill, 6th ADA Brigade (ADA School) | TRADOC United States Army Training and Doctrine Command Established 1 July 1973, the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command is an army command of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is charged with overseeing training of Army forces, the development of operational doctrine, and the development and procurement of... |
See also
- Coats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of US Air Defense Artillery Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with Field artillery, Air Defense Artillery, and coast artillery regiments in the US Army...
- Fort BlissFort BlissFort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
- Fort SillFort SillFort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
- M163 VADSM163 VADSThe M163 Vulcan Air Defense System is a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun that was used by the United States Army. The M168 gun is a variant of the General Dynamics 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon, the standard cannon in most US combat aircraft since the 1960s, mounted on either an armored...
- M167 VulcanM167 VulcanThe M167 Vulcan Air Defense System was a towed short-range United States Army anti-aircraft gun designed to protect forward area combat elements and rear area critical assets. It was also used to protect U.S. Air Force warplane airfields and U.S. Army helicopter airfields...
- MIM-104 Patriot
- THAADTerminal High Altitude Area DefenseTerminal High Altitude Area Defense , formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is a United States Army system to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate ballistic missiles in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach. The missile carries no warhead but relies on the kinetic energy...
- Saint BarbaraSaint BarbaraSaint Barbara, , Feast Day December 4, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian saint and martyr....
- OozlefinchOozlefinchOozlefinch is the unofficial historic mascot of the Air Defense Artillery – and formerly of the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps. Oozlefinch is portrayed as a featherless bird that flies backwards and carries weapons of the Air Defense and Coastal Artillery, most often a Nike-Hercules Missile...
- Nike Hercules
- MIM-23 HawkMIM-23 HawkThe Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk is a U.S. medium range surface-to-air missile. The Hawk was initially designed to destroy aircraft and was later adapted to destroy other missiles in flight. The missile entered service in 1960, and a program of extensive upgrades has kept it from becoming obsolete. It was...
External links
- http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/ada/default.htm
- ADA museum- http://sill-www.army.mil/adamuseum/