1-188 ADA live-fire training

Photo By Maj. Karena Hill | This is the 1-188 ADA Live-Fire Avenger and Stinger Missile Range, June 11, 2013 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.  

ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

06.11.2013

Courtesy Story

108th Public Affairs Detachment

FORT BLISS, Texas - Soldiers with the 1-188 ADA from the North Dakota National Guard trained at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., for their annual two-week training. The training exercise combined the expertise of soldiers and civilian contractors who practiced real world homeland defense mission in a controlled environment.

During the training exercise soldiers launched live self-propelled surface-to air missiles from either a mounted or a manned positions from an Avenger. An Avenger is a Humvee with mounted stinger missile system on the back along with an M3P, .50-caliber machine gun.

Crew members trained during both a day and nighttime live-fire exercises with high percentages of accuracy in both environments. Contractors working for Griffon Aerospace controlled the Outlaw, an unmanned aerial vehicle target drone, during the exercise said the accuracy of missile to drone hits was superior to other units they have recently trained with in recent months.

Training at White Sands Missile Range allowed the command the opportunity to focus on realistic training by offering a range with more area to fire, maneuver and set up the sparsely populated area of New Mexico.

The 1-188 is under the command and control of the 263rd Army Air Missile Defense Command, Anderson, S.C. The AAMDC is responsible for homeland defense mission making them responsible for protecting the skies over the continental U.S. from aerial attack since 9/11.

The annual training supports the upcoming 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment stateside deployed to Washington, D.C., in support of North American Aerospace Defense Command.

• Date Taken: 06.11.2013
• Date Posted: 06.17.2013 00:22
• Story ID: 108750
• Location: ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US