WHNT:
The Cruise Missile Defense Systems Project Office celebrated its 10th anniversary on Monday. But its roots go way back under other names. It has developed key Army weapons for nearly 60 years.
This is the agency that brought us the Redeye, the Army’s first manned portable air defense system. It also developed the Stinger and the Avenger, which is still widely used.
But the Avenger is getting old. Now, they’re working on another system that can fire multiple missiles–something nothing else can do yet
“We are getting away from that concept,” said Col. Terrence Howard, CMDS Program manager. He gestures toward a prototype of the aforementioned system, known as the multi-mission launcher. ” We are able to fire missiles from the Air Force, missles from the Navy even. It really offers up that joint perspective we’re trying to do.”
He said threats against our nation, like unmanned aerial systems and cruise missiles, are always evolving. It’s the CMDS Project Office’s job to stay ahead of them, always keeping an eye out for those who use their weapons systems: the soldiers.
On their anniversary, they’re looking back at their foundation of work on technology that has aided warfighters in decades of combat and missions, and also, focusing on the future and what else can be achieved.
“From my perspective, the further backward you look, the further forward you can see,” said Col. Howard.
