United States Army Aviation and Missile Command
Encyclopedia
The United States Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) is primarily responsible for life cycle
management of army missile
, helicopter
, unmanned ground vehicle and unmanned aerial vehicle
weapon
system
s. The central part of AMCOM's job involves acquisition and sustainment support for aviation and missile systems throughout their life cycle
. The command is headquartered at Redstone Arsenal
by Huntsville, Alabama
.
AMCOM works closely with the Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) that operates simulation facilities to evaluate missile components, such as seekers, in a variety of flights and countermeasures environments. AMCOM also has access to several wind tunnel
s to test full-size helicopters, a vertical motion simulator for flight control evaluation and a crash-testing tower used to improve safety
.
AMCOM's Test, Measurement and Diagnostic Equipment Activity provides worldwide command and control over a broad metrology
and calibration
program. AMCOM is also the leader in foreign military sales, accounting for over 50 percent of total army sales to Allied forces and friendly foreign nations. AMCOM's main organizations are organized into "centers":
New product development
In business and engineering, new product development is the term used to describe the complete process of bringing a new product to market. A product is a set of benefits offered for exchange and can be tangible or intangible...
management of army missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
, helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, unmanned ground vehicle and unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
system
System
System is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole....
s. The central part of AMCOM's job involves acquisition and sustainment support for aviation and missile systems throughout their life cycle
New product development
In business and engineering, new product development is the term used to describe the complete process of bringing a new product to market. A product is a set of benefits offered for exchange and can be tangible or intangible...
. The command is headquartered at Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal is a United States Army base and a census-designated place adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
by Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
.
AMCOM works closely with the Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) that operates simulation facilities to evaluate missile components, such as seekers, in a variety of flights and countermeasures environments. AMCOM also has access to several wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
s to test full-size helicopters, a vertical motion simulator for flight control evaluation and a crash-testing tower used to improve safety
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
.
AMCOM's Test, Measurement and Diagnostic Equipment Activity provides worldwide command and control over a broad metrology
Metrology
Metrology is the science of measurement. Metrology includes all theoretical and practical aspects of measurement. The word comes from Greek μέτρον , "measure" + "λόγος" , amongst others meaning "speech, oration, discourse, quote, study, calculation, reason"...
and calibration
Calibration
Calibration is a comparison between measurements – one of known magnitude or correctness made or set with one device and another measurement made in as similar a way as possible with a second device....
program. AMCOM is also the leader in foreign military sales, accounting for over 50 percent of total army sales to Allied forces and friendly foreign nations. AMCOM's main organizations are organized into "centers":
- Acquisition Center – responsible for contracting support.
- Integrated Material Management Center – responsible for logistics support.
Chronology
The U.S. Army Missile Command was formally established on 23 May 1962 at Redstone Arsenal to manage the army's missile systems.- October 1948: The Chief of Ordnance designates Redstone ArsenalRedstone ArsenalRedstone Arsenal is a United States Army base and a census-designated place adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
as the center for ordnance research and development in the field of rockets.
- 1 June 1949: The Chief of Ordnance officially activates the arsenal as the site of the Ordnance Rocket Center.
- 28 October 1949: The Secretary of the Army approves the transfer of the Ordnance Research and Development Division Sub-Office (Rocket) at 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...
, Texas, to Redstone Arsenal as the Ordnance Guided Missile Center.
- 1 February 1956: The U.S. Army Ballistic Missile AgencyArmy Ballistic Missile AgencyThe Army Ballistic Missile Agency was the agency formed to develop the US Army's first intermediate range ballistic missile. It was established at Redstone Arsenal on February 1, 1956 and commanded by Major General John B...
(ABMA) established at Redstone Arsenal.
- March, 1958: Organizations placed under the new Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) include the ABMA, Redstone ArsenalRedstone ArsenalRedstone Arsenal is a United States Army base and a census-designated place adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
, the Jet Propulsion LaboratoryJet Propulsion LaboratoryJet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...
, White Sands Proving Grounds and the Army Rocket and Guided Missile Agency (ARGMA)
- 1958: ABMA's scientific and engineering staff (Wernher von BraunWernher von BraunWernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
et al.) transferred to the newly created NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Marshall Space Flight CenterMarshall Space Flight CenterThe George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...
at the southern half of Redstone Arsenal
- 23 May 1963: U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM) officially established;, fully staffed and operational on 1 August 1963.
- 28 February 1964: The U.S. Army Aviation and Surface Material Command redesignated as the U.S. Army Aviation Materiel Command (AVCOM).
- 23 September 1968: AVCOM redesignated the U.S. Army Aviation Systems Command (AVSCOM).
- 1 July 1977: AVSCOM discontinued and its readiness mission combined with that of the U.S. Army Troop Support Command (TROSCOM) to form the U.S. Army Troop Support and Aviation Materiel Readiness Command (TSARCOM). AVSCOM's aviation research and development mission assigned to the newly established U.S. Army Aviation Research and Development Command (AVRADCOM).
- 1 March 1984: AVSCOM reestablished and all missions and activities of AVRADCOM and the aviation related missions and activities of the Troop Support and Aviation Materiel Readiness Command transferred to AVSCOM.
- 1 October 1992: Army Aviation and Troop Command established, consolidating the existing missions of AVSCOM and TROSCOM less those missions and organizations transferred to other commands.
- 8 September 1995: Congress approves the 1995 Base Realignment and ClosureBase Realignment and ClosureBase Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) list, disestablishing ATCOM and transfers its mission and organizations to Redstone Arsenal to merge with the Army Missile Command to form AMCOM.
- 17 July 1997: Army Aviation and Missile Command is provisionally established.
- 1 October 1997: AMCOM formally established at Redstone Arsenal with the merger of the U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM) at Redstone Arsenal and the U.S. Army Aviation and Troop Command (ATCOM) at St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
Current weapons systems