WaayTV:
The United States Space and Missile Defense Command/ Army Forces Strategic Command had a busy year in 2015 with the increased exposure of their mission to top leadership within the Army and the Department of Defense.
The command, located at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal, is led by Lieutenant General David Mann who has recently been named the Army’s Air and Missile Defense Enterprise integrator in support of the Army’s vision for Force 2025 and beyond. Mann says the commands increased recognition by top leadership has been the most significant change over the past year.
Visitors to the command in 2015 included then Army Chief of Staff General Ray Odierno; Army Vice Chief of Staff General Daniel Allyn; Navy Admiral Cecil Haney, commander, U.S. Strategic Command; Navy Admiral William Gortney, commander, U.S. Northern Command; Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel Dailey and Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James.
“We have done a better job of really getting the word out as to what we bring to the fight in terms of capability,” said Mann. “We have seen an exponential increase in the capabilities that we provide so it’s nice to be wanted to be quite frank with you.”
The command is in charge of managing the country’s defense against intercontinental ballistic missiles, a tall order for the small group of 300 soldiers with the 100th Missile Defense Brigade actively working the mission.
The command manages sensors both on land and in space which constantly monitor track data, providing warning about incoming threats. SMDC/ARSTRAT recently added a new sensor in Japan, increasing visibility in the Pacific region.
“We are primarily focused in North Korea and in Iran and so by putting this second radar in Japan it further develops, further expands, our ability to provide surveillance of that area that we are interested in,” explained Mann. “That is one of the reasons why it was placed there to make sure that we really have that area covered given the nature of the threat that is in North Korea as well as Iran.”
