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CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (January 5, 2009) - U.S.
Army Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery
participated in a combined air defense exercise with the Kuwaiti
46th Air Defense Battalion at Camp Arifjan Kuwait.
The exercise, called Operation Nation Shield, involved the
Soldiers of 2-43 ADA at all stages from the initial planning to the
after action review. They also deployed a battalion communication
relay group to the Kuwait Battalion Headquarters to establish and
maintain interconnectivity between the respective command groups
and control nodes.
The exercise began with an alert and recall of the Kuwaiti air
defense battalion, an event where all Soldiers are recalled to
their respective headquarters to prepare for deployment. The
operation called for a deployment of all Kuwaiti Patriot air
defense forces. The air defense crews from the batteries of 2-43
ADA were also involved in the recall. After linking up with their
Kuwaiti counterparts, the Soldiers embedded with the Kuwait fire
units for the remainder of the exercise.
Finally, 2-43 ADA Soldiers played a critical role in
establishing multiple lines of communication to facilitate planning
and participation of U.S. Soldiers in the Kuwaiti simulations and
scenarios. This addition established a communications bridge
between the two nations, providing a shared early warning air
picture to all involved. In total, 2-43 provided command and
control for the five Kuwaiti Patriot firing batteries and one U.S.
Patriot battery involved in the exercise.
"I enjoyed learning about the Kuwaiti military customs and
culture," said Spc. Edward Hudgins, a launcher crewman with B
Battery, 2-43 ADA. "It was also good to learn about the Kuwaiti
tactics techniques and procedures for emplacing and operation of
Patriot equipment."
The Kuwaiti units were evaluated on common Patriot Missile
System tasks throughout the exercise. They were graded on tasks
like march order, emplacement and air battle management. While U.S.
forces were not evaluated, they were integrated in the Kuwaiti
manning rotation, giving them a better appreciation for how the
Kuwaiti fire units conducted air defense operations.
On hand for the event were several senior leaders from the
Kuwaiti Air Defense Battalion including two officers from the 46th
Air Defense Battalion. These Kuwaiti officers were accompanied by
Maj. Bill Dowling and several other officers from the 11th Air
Defense Artillery "Imperial" Brigade.
"This exercise has and will be vital in the refining of our
tactics, techniques and procedures," said Lt. Col. Kelly Spillane,
the 2-43 ADA commander. "Over the past year our two battalions have
been conducting monthly exercises, which included the exchange of
fire control and launching station crews at the battery level. I am
very pleased with the growth of our combined training initiatives
and the confidence we are building amongst our respective units.
It's important that we take advantage of these training
opportunities in the event that we have to fight as a combined air
defense team."
The exercise was described as an overwhelming success by both
the U.S. Army officials and the Kuwaiti officials. This exercise
measured the abilities of the Kuwaiti air defenders and provided
the Soldiers of 2-43 ADA with an opportunity to witness their
Kuwaiti counterparts in action. The goal is to make this combined
exercise an annual event between U.S. and Kuwaiti forces.
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