Military Review English Edition November-December 2015 | Page 63

AIR DEFENSE

than 90 percent success rate in reliability and training
tests against advanced threat targets.”7 The Avenger
weapon system, which can fire Stingers, enables air
defenders to protect from a mounted, motorized
configuration or download shoulder-fired Stingers for
dismounted operations.

transition their capabilities to support maneuver,
serving as a “dual-hatted” combat multiplier. In 2005,
Stanley Davis, then command sergeant major of the
Army ADA branch, expertly summarized the transformation of nonstatic-engagement-AMD forces in
Iraq and Afghanistan:
Our Bradley Linebacker and Avenger soldiers
Constraining the Force
fought their way to Baghdad and Kabul
Nonstatic-engagement-AMD units are disappearalongside our infantry and armored divisions.
ing from the Active Army. Based on the ongoing unit
Following the redeployment of the Patriot
drawdown, implementation of the AMD strategy
force from the combat zone, our Romeos
is increasing the Avenger’s reduction from circula[Linebacker crewmembers] and Sierras
tion, instead of increasing its employment to support
[Avenger crewmembers] stayed on to batmaneuver.8 The strategy emphasizes HIMAD and
tle insurgents and Taliban rebels, laying the
static-engagement-AMD counterfire assets such as
foundations for Iraqi and Afghan democracy.
the counterrocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM)
They bore the brunt of battle and convincprogram.9 According to the strategy, “air and missile
ingly demonstrated the fighting qualities of
defense remains an Army core function, vital to the
ADA soldiers to the combined arms team.12
Army’s core competencies of combined arms maneuver
The Avenger is combat proven. Since the Army
and wide area security.”10 Ironically, the Avenger is the
first began using it in the 1990s, upgrades have added
essence of the air defense’s ability to enable maneuver
supplemental capabilities to diversify and enhance its
commanders to seize, retain,
effectiveness. In addition to
and exploit the initiative
the Stinger, the Avenger has
with on-the-move protecan automated .50 caliber
tion—no other Army air
machine gun (M3P) and
defense asset has this capaa forward-looking infrability. Without the A venger,
red (FLIR) optics system.
air defense cannot effectively
According to Lt. Col. Rick
facilitate maneuver.
Starkey, former director of
the Office of the Chief of the
Transitional
ADA School, air defenders
Air Defense
took advantage of these caCapabilities
pabilities in Iraq to conduct
(Photo courtesy of the Joint Readiness Training Center)
The transitional virtucombat patrols, such as conAn Avenger gunner from Battery E, 3rd Battalion, 4th Air
Defense
Artillery
Regiment,
provides
aerial
and
ground
osity of nonstatic-engagevoy security, raids, armored
security from a deliberate fighting position in support of a
ment-AMD interconnects
reconnaissance,
and cordon
1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division training
air defense to maneuver
and search.13
exercise 20 April 2015 at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
forces through the most
The combination of the
fundamental aspect of war—combat. While HIMAD
M3P and FLIR allows air defenders to acquire and
elements defend and deter, they are statically posengage aerial and ground targets. In many instances,
tured and restricted to executing conventional air demaneuver commanders have requested air defense
fense. They lack rapid deployability, and they operate
support to enhance their operations due to these
separately from the combined arms force. According
capabilities. Capt. Scott Dellinger effectively describes
to Carl Von Clausewitz, “A sudden powerful tranhis relevant combat experience in Iraq:
sition to the offensive … is the greatest moment for
Air defense artillery soldiers became so
the defense.”11 In the absence of a traditional air
proficient at identifying enemy positions and
defense mission, nonstatic-engagement-AMD forces
IEDs [improvised explosive devices] with the
MILITARY REVIEW  November-December 2015

57