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Secretary Approves Implementation of Revised Army Combat Fitness Test

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth issued an Army Directive today outlining a time-phased implementation of a revised ACFT as the Army’s general physical fitness test.

Changes made to the ACFT incorporate feedback from Soldiers and independent analysis of test performance.

Among the key changes announced by the Army are new age-and-gender-performance normed scoring scales; the replacement of the leg tuck with the plank for the core-strength assessment; and the addition of the 2.5-mile walk as an alternate aerobic event.

“The ACFT is an essential part of maintaining the readiness of the Army as we transform into the Army of 2030,” Wormuth said.

“The revisions to the ACFT are based on data and analysis, including an independent assessment required by Congress. We will continue to assess our implementation of the test to ensure it is fair and achieves our goal of strengthening the Army’s fitness culture.”

A common concern identified by the Army’s independent analysis and the RAND study was that a gender-neutral test might not accurately measure all Soldiers’ general physical fitness levels. One example was using the leg tuck as the assessment of core strength.

RAND concluded that Soldiers might have the core strength that is not accurately measured if they lack the upper body strength required to perform a leg tuck. Now, the plank will be the sole exercise to assess core strength, using recognized standards from sister services as a baseline, and modifying the scales based on Army requirements.

The revised ACFT will utilize scoring scales that are age and gender normed, similar to the APFT. The Army designed the new scoring scales from nearly 630,000 ACFT performance scores, historical performance rates from the APFT, and scoring scales used by other military services.

The Army will continue to assess performance data and has established an ACFT governance body to provide oversight of the full implementation of the new test. This structure will assess ACFT scores, pass rates, injuries and environmental considerations, and report those findings along with any recommended changes to Army Senior Leaders. The first comprehensive assessment will be in April 2023.

Unlike the APFT, which went largely unchanged for 40 years, Army leaders believe the ACFT must be adaptable.

“Since 2018 we’ve said this test would evolve, and it has,” said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston.

Grinston noted the governance structure will continue to advance the ACFT to maximize the physical fitness of the force.

The six-event ACFT now provides commanders and Soldiers an accurate assessment of a Soldier’s physical fitness level and sustains the Army’s efforts to maintain a physically fit force capable of a wide range of missions.

Implementing the ACFT

Beginning April 1, units will start diagnostic testing under the new structure. Record testing begins for Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers on October 1, 2022, to allow Soldiers six-months to train. Also on October 1, a passing ACFT score will be used for retention, graduation of initial military training, professional military education, and evaluation reports for Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers. Implementation of separation actions may begin in April 2023 for Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers.

The Army also approved similar, but longer, timelines for Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers, with April 2023 marking the start point for most personnel policies, and the implementation of separation actions beginning in April 2024.

“During this transition, we want to make sure all Soldiers have the proper time to succeed,” Grinston explained. “Put the test on the calendar and make sure your Soldiers have a solid training plan.”

Grinston said while Regular Army Soldiers can be flagged beginning October 1, 2022 for failing the ACFT, no Regular Army Soldier will be separated solely for ACFT failure until April 2023.

The policy also directed a change to extend retesting periods from 90 days under the APFT to 180 days for Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers, and 240 days for Reserve Soldiers for the ACFT. Grinston noted that the extended reconditioning timelines will guarantee that Soldiers who are willing to put in the time and training are provided an opportunity to pass the test.

Chain Teach throughout the Force

To help inform the force of all the policies and procedures of the test, the Sergeant Major of the Army is initiating a chain teach throughout the force – and personally gave Army Command, Army Service Component Command, and direct reporting unit command sergeants major a class on changes to the ACFT.

“They will turn around and give that class to the NCOs who report to them as well as the [command sergeants major] for their subordinate units,” Grinston said.

The chain teach will continue throughout the Army to ensure all noncommissioned officers and Soldiers are directly informed of the policy.

“This is an opportunity for leaders to get engaged and understand their Soldiers’ questions and concerns about the test,” Grinston said. “Know where they are struggling and develop a plan to help them succeed. Leaders need to address more than just physical training and focus on the Soldier’s overall fitness.”

To ensure Soldiers throughout the Total Army have comparable training opportunities, the Army procured and distributed more than 40,000 sets of equipment, 60% of which were designated for Soldiers in the Army Reserve and National Guard.

Grinston encouraged Leaders to use their equipment for physical readiness training, including on drill weekends for the Reserve Component, to help Soldiers familiarize themselves with the events before testing.

There are also a number of resources available on the ACFT website to help Soldiers train, including workout program examples and videos of exercises – many of which require no equipment.

Holistic Approach

Army leaders expect units to incorporate principles of all the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) System domains into their training. In addition to the physical domain, Leaders should include proper nutrition, sleep, and spiritual and mental fitness to improve overall Soldier readiness. Unit master fitness trainers are the subject-matter experts and are trained to advise in all domains of fitness.

“H2F is an incredible system that looks at training in ways the Army has never done before,” said Brig. Gen. John Kline, commanding general of the Center for Initial Military Training – the Army’s lead proponent for the H2F system.

“Incorporating things like mindfulness training, proper nutrition counseling, and better sleep techniques are proven methods to improve mental and physical readiness,” Kline said.

“If you really want to improve your ACFT score,” Grinston agreed, “start with those other four domains of fitness.”

For the full details on the implementation of the ACFT, visit www.army.mil/acft.

By SFC Will Reinier

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Profession of Arms, Warrior Athlete | 29 Comments »

DEVCOM Tests Airdrop System for Rapid Deployment in the Field

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022

YUMA PROVING GROUND, Ariz. — For U.S. Army Soldiers on the move, getting a vehicle in the field increases their survivability and mobility. Safely airdropping the vehicle and quickly de-rigging it is important to reduce Soldiers’ exposure to threats. As a measure to increase operational readiness, the Army recently tested the ATAX land airdrop system, an off-the shelf prototype.

The Foreign Technology Assessment Support program provided funding that enabled the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, or DEVCOM, Soldier Center to test the ATAX system, manufactured by United Kingdom-based IrvinGQ. The system was originally designed for British and NATO standards, which are similar to the U.S. but not identical.

The funding enabled the DEVCOM team to ensure it meets U.S. airdrop and air transportation specifications and to address any issues gathered during the testing. A follow-on Foreign Comparative Testing program, sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Comparative Technology Office, enabled detailed integration, prototype fabrication and additional airdrop flight testing.

The U.S. Army Yuma Test Center conducted four live airdrop tests between November 2020 and May 2021. The team used ballast weight for the first three airdrop tests and a High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle for the fourth and last airdrop test, which they drove off the ATAX platform at the conclusion of the test.

“Overall, the project was a success. At the final demonstration, we derigged the HMMWV and drove it off the platform without any issues,” said Sean Wellman, DEVCOM SC engineer and ATAX project lead.

The ATAX airdrop system is modular and consists of eight-foot platforms connected by hinges. It can be adapted to different lengths, typically between 8 and 32 feet, and it is surrounded by a self-contained structure where the parachutes are mounted and attached. The vehicle is loaded onto the ATAX platform with an under-mounted airbag system. In a typical low altitude airdrop, it takes between two to three minutes for the vehicle to drop from a height of 1,500-2,000 feet. Airdrop systems can weigh up to 42,000 pounds including the payload and airdrop equipment.

The ATAX airdrop system has significant advantages over traditional systems because it uses reusable airbags to soften the impact when the vehicle lands. Traditional airdrop systems use multiple layers of stacked paper honeycomb that is three inches thick to soften the landing. The paper honeycomb, which is crushed by the impact, is left in the field and can take up to an hour or more for Soldiers to free the vehicle from the paper honeycomb. One of the goals of the project is to reduce de-rigging time by 75 to 80 percent, which will reduce the amount of time that Soldiers are in the drop zone.

“Airbags minimize or avoid the need for paper honeycomb, saving time during preparation and recovery. The risk of becoming stuck in a stack of honeycomb is eliminated when airbags are used. Basically, when the vehicle is dropped, everything comes off, and the vehicle is ready to execute the mission,” Wellman said.

DEVCOM SC teamed with Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems on the FTAS and FCT project. PM FSS is executing the Rapid Rigging and Derigging Airdrop System Program of Record, which will enable wheeled vehicles to drive on and off the aerial delivery platform, decreasing the amount of time Soldiers are in the drop zone. Funding provided by the FCT program enabled the Army to maintain competition that would otherwise have not been possible. The FCT program provides funding to acquire, test and evaluate mature products from foreign industry that might fill a capability gap or satisfy an urgent need.

DEVCOM SC established a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with IrvinGQ in 2018, to share information about the ATAX system and other aerial delivery technology. DEVCOM is leveraging the CRADA for other projects that support its mission. According to IrvinGQ, numerous European forces are using the ATAX system.

“Ultimately, the ATAX system was not selected for further development but it was a key enabler for modernization efforts in aerial delivery. The ATAX is still available as a test bed for future science and technology projects, if needed,” said Andrew Meloni, lead of the DEVCOM SC Airdrop Research, Capabilities & Systems team.

By Argie Sarantinos, DEVCOM Public Affairs

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Parachuting | 1 Comment »

US Army Awards Contract to Evaluate Ammunition Industrial Base

Friday, March 18th, 2022

Yesterday DoD announced:

McKinsey & Co. Inc., Washington, D.C., was awarded a $16,397,621 firm-fixed-price contract to develop a model to evaluate the bottlenecks and capacities of the ammunition industrial base, assess outside the continental U.S. ammunition supply chain dependency and risk, and to develop financial assessments of government-owned, contractor-operated facilities. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., with an estimated completion date of March 15, 2024. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $16,397,621 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-22-C-0038).

Posted in Ammo, Army, Contracts | 1 Comment »

Soldier Lethality Team Reimagines Movement, Vision and Combat Capabilities

Thursday, March 17th, 2022

AUSTIN, Texas — The Army’s vision for a future force includes the ability to expertly wield modern weaponry, systems and technologies, at command, squad and individual Soldier levels.

To tackle the challenge of how to best prepare American Soldiers for the fast-paced, multi-domain battlefields of the future, U.S. Army Futures Command is developing equipment designed to improve Soldier movement, vision and combat capabilities.

Coordinating modernization priorities in this area is the Soldier Lethality Cross-Functional Team, based at Fort Benning, Georgia. Brig. Gen. Larry Q. Buris serves as the CFT’s director and as Fort Benning’s Infantry School Commandant, ensuring the needs of the Close Combat Force — a group that includes select infantry, scouts, combat medics, forward observers, combat engineers and Special Operations Forces — are at the forefront of Soldier Lethality CFT efforts.

“Close combat is warfare characterized by brutal physical confrontation,” Buris said. “The CCF designation identifies those positions in the brigade combat team that are truly the tip of the spear, those who close with and destroy our adversaries.”

Buris noted that CCF “make up 4% of the military, but since World War II, have sustained 90% of the casualties — and they receive less than 4% of the DoD budget for Science and Technology.”

The Soldier Lethality CFT seeks to not only identify unique and evolving warfighter needs, but also to harness promising technologies in ways that skillfully and efficiently meet these needs, through improved equipment, training and resources. The team works closely with Program Executive Offices and other partners across the Army to apply Soldier-centered design, frequently using Soldier touchpoints to ensure advances align with Soldiers’ tactical requirements. The CFT includes approximately 55 Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians and contractors working across four divisions: Capabilities Management, Operations & Integration, Acquisition Management and Science & Technology.

One of the CFT’s signature efforts is the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program. The NGSW program includes a common fire control, common family of ammunition and two 6.8mm caliber weapons – a rifle (the XM5) and an automatic rifle (the XM250). The XM5 and XM250 will eventually replace the M4/M4A1 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, respectively, in the CCF.

The program, which is scheduled to begin fielding prototypes by late 2022, aims to provide Soldiers with the highest quality, most capable small caliber weapons and ammunition to achieve and retain overmatch against adversaries. Specific advantages offered by the NGSW include increased performance at range, integrated squad fire control, enhanced ergonomics, lightweight case ammunition technologies and signature suppression capabilities. The new weapons will improve Soldier mobility and maneuverability, enhancing ability to execute missions and evade adversaries.

The Soldier Lethality CFT is additionally working to advance the Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System program. IVAS allows for augmented reality capabilities, such as the ability to see around corners or project 3D terrain maps onto a Soldier’s field of vision, to increase lethality. IVAS also maps and captures 360-degree images of any environment, day or night, and preserves that information for Soldiers to use during training and rehearsals. The Army continues to work with Microsoft, which manufactures the mixed-reality headsets through a fixed-price production agreement with the Army, to develop their durability for all-weather field use.

Until recently, the CFT also led the development of the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular for the Army. The ENVG-B offers improved depth perception and rapid target acquisition by providing dismounted Soldiers with unparalleled vision day or night, including in low or no light, fog, smoke and inclement weather. In 2021, the CFT transitioned the ENVG-B to the Maneuver Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate’s Soldier Readiness Division for further development and fielding, in an effort to continually improve the visual aids available to Soldiers operating in low-visibility environments.

To learn more, visit the Soldier Lethality CFT on Twitter.

By Maureena Thompson, Army Futures Command

Posted in Army, Guest Post | Comments Off on Soldier Lethality Team Reimagines Movement, Vision and Combat Capabilities

US Army Seeks Sources for M240 6.8mm Conversion Kits

Wednesday, March 16th, 2022

The U.S. Army, Army Contracting Command-New Jersey at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000 is conducting a market survey / sources sought notice on behalf of the Project Manager Soldier Lethality (PMSL) for an M240 6.8mm conversion kit for M240B and/or M240L. Presently, the M240B and M240L machine guns are 7.62mm weapons.

From the RFI:

The conversion kit should include all hardware and instructions needed to modify a standard M240B and/or M240L to fire the 6.8mm ammunition. This will include a new barrel assembly and may include changes to the weapon powering through updates to the gas regulator, drive spring, or other means. The barrel assembly may be either of the standard barrel length (M240B) or short barrel (M240L). Information on 6.8mm ammunition type, specifications, and availability should be provided.

The winner of the US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons program to replace the 5.56mm M4 Carbine and M249 SAW with weapons firing 6.8mm for close combat forces (XM5 & XM250) should be announced soon. From the beginning of this effort many have referred to it as an ammunition program. This Army RFI demonstrates the veracity of that claim.

While there have been several different candidate weapons involved, there were three very different ammunition types in the running until late last year. All were developed to meet the Army’s requirement to create what is essentially a 270 WSM but with a 20% weight reduction for both ammo and weapons.

The most radical type of ammunition offered up was the so-called case telescoped cartridge from Textron, a rimless technology with the projectile embedded within the case. They are no longer in the running and such a modification to the M240 desired by the Army would have been impossible.

Slightly less ambitious is True Velocity’s polymer cartridge case with its peculiar neck design where the projectile is inserted into the case. TV’s ammunition is intended to be manufactured in their proprietary machines.

Finally, SIG SAUER’s ammunition division introduced a hybrid case with a brass body and steel head. With this construction, they claim to gain an significant increase in velocity over conventional brass ammunition as well as the desired weight reduction. It can be manufactured with current machinery, but adds the step of attaching the two case components together.

However, despite Textron’s exit from the program, I will assert that there are still three candidate cartridges. Along with SIG and True Velocity, the Army is sure to have cooked something up in-house, if only for experimentation purposes to establish a baseline of 6.8 conventional, brass case ammunition.

Both the Army and industry know a lot about how such a cartridge would perform across all JPEO Ammunition’s requirements and how to manufacture it with the machines currently located at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant.

In fact, no matter which type of ammunition is elected for NGSW, it will be manufactured at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. The program has budgeted for a new next gen ammo building there.

270 WSM next to SIG’s 6.8mm Hybrid Cartridge.

You’ll note that NGSW is a Carbine and SAW replacement and those are currently 5.56mm weapons. When you consider that the next gen is 6.8mm, regardless of which form it takes, is the equivalent of 270 WSM, then you realize it will outperform 7.62mm NATO. Then, you’ll ask yourself why you’d provide the Infantry Company a weapon with a shorter range which delivers less energy on target than what the Squad is carrying. From the beginning, it was a forgone conclusion that if feasible, at least some of the M240s in inventory (around 100,000 across DoD) would be rechambered to 6.8.

In fact, True Velocity demonstrated this capability in the M240 last year, and reports are that the US Army has conducted experimentation with their own 6.8mm ammunition.

This move makes complete sense and I’m glad to see the Army moving forward with it. However, since the Army has yet to announce which team has won NGSW and therefore which type of ammunition the 6.8 conversion will be required to fire, it will be more difficult for industry to offer specifics in response to the Army’s sources sought notice.

Eric Graves

Editor

Posted in Advertiser, Ammo, Army, Contracts, weapons | 22 Comments »

Army AMD Community to Recognize ‘Godfather of IBCS’ in Ceremony at Missile Range

Tuesday, March 15th, 2022

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. – Senior active and retired leaders of the Army’s air and missile defense community will formally recognize Dr. George A. Foust as the “Godfather of IBCS,” at a ceremony Wednesday at White Sands Missile Range.

The Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) is the fire control and operational center capability for the Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (AIAMD) architecture. AIAMD provides a common mission command and sensor/weapon integration network for all Army AMD echelons that improves protection against threats in complex integrated attack scenarios.

Foust’s doctoral dissertation, entitled “Communication Command and Control (C3) in Air Defense” was hailed as the visionary document which charted the path for the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) modernization efforts in the air and missile defense community. This seminal work introduced a more robust, network-centric, C3 integrated fire control system, ultimately becoming the backbone of the AIAMD concept.

The Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (AIAMD) program is a top Army AMD modernization priority. The Army’s modernization strategy ensures we will continue to have overmatch in a fundamentally different future environment, and part of this includes prioritizing the development of air-defense systems to ensure a capable force.

The ceremony may be viewed on the Air & Missile Defense Cross-Functional Team Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AMDCFT.

Photos of the ceremony will be located on the Army Futures Command Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) site at www.dividshub.net/unit/AFC.

An article citing Dr. Foust’s career highlights and contributions is in the recent edition of the Air Defense Artillery Journal at tradocfcoeccafcoepfwprod.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/ada-journal/archive/ada-journal/2022/PB_44_21_3_ADAJ_Web_Final.

Posted in Army, Press Release | Comments Off on Army AMD Community to Recognize ‘Godfather of IBCS’ in Ceremony at Missile Range

Army Special Operations Forces Use Project Origin Systems in Latest Soldier Experiment

Friday, March 11th, 2022

DUGWAY, Utah — Army Green Berets from the 1st Special Forces Group conducted two weeks of hands-on experimentation with Project Origin Unmanned Systems at Dugway Proving Ground. Engineers from the U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center were on site to collect data on how these elite Soldiers utilized the systems and what technology and behaviors are desired.

Project Origin vehicles are the evolution of multiple Soldier Operational Experiments. This GVSC-led rapid prototyping effort allows the Army to conduct technology and autonomous behavior integration for follow-on assessments with Soldiers in order to better understand what Soldiers need from unmanned systems.

For the two-week experiment, Soldiers with the 1st Special Forces Group attended familiarization and new equipment training in order to develop Standard Operating Procedures for Robotic Combat Vehicles. The unit utilized these SOPs to conduct numerous mission-oriented exercises including multiple live-fire missions during the day and night.

The live-fire operations employed the M240 and M2 machine guns and the MK19 automatic grenade launcher.

“These live fire operations were critical to determining the military utility of the Robotic Combat Vehicle unmanned technology,” said Todd Willert, GVSC’s project manager for Project Origin. “The unit was successful with integrating the systems into their formation for both offensive and defensive operations.”

The Green Berets incorporated numerous Origin modular mission payloads to assist with long-range reconnaissance, concealment, electronic warfare and autonomous resupply operations.

A senior medical sergeant with the 1st Special Forces Group said the modularity of payloads provides flexibility for use in a variety of mission sets: “The upscaling of capabilities for a direct heavy-weapon system gives us the advantage we’ve never had before in typical dismounted roles.”

Willert stated the inclusion of Special Operations Forces into technology assessments provides more depth in understanding what is needed to mature unmanned systems for the Army’s Operating Force.

In addition, this experiment supports the continual development of the Army’s Robotic Technology Kernel — the Modular Open System Architecture-based library of software that can be used for ground autonomy — along with the Warfighter Machine Interface, the Army’s library of modular software used by Soldiers to control robotic vehicles. This open systems architecture approach will enable common unmanned maneuver capabilities across the ground vehicle fleet.

“We are in the process of tailoring software packages to meet the needs of end users,” Willert said. “Autonomy — at various levels — offers great opportunities for different mission sets that improve Soldier safety and reduce cognitive burden. The professional and thoughtful comments from these Soldiers will greatly assist us with developing behaviors for future unmanned systems.”

1st Special Forces Group Detachment Commander added, “The robots are best employed to maximize the standoff between Soldiers and enemy threats.” He went on to say, “The Project Origin system, for any type of dismounted operations we conduct, would provide us increased capabilities to recognize and identify individuals on target from a much greater standoff while decreasing the risk to the force as our Soldiers accomplish their mission.”

Maj. Cory Wallace, the RCV Requirements Lead with the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team, said: “Working with an Operational Detachment Alpha enabled us to understand new use cases and consider new approaches to integrating robotic and autonomous systems into future experiments.”

“The feedback from the operators gave us a completely new perspective as to how we need to shape our future development efforts in order to provide the most effective unmanned systems possible to Army formations, Wallace said.

A senior weapons sergeant summed up the event by saying, “The Project Origin system allows us an ability to operate the system outside of enemy fire. This allows an ability to focus on advanced tasks such as terrain analysis, developing enemy courses of action, and thinking ahead of the now, rather than seeking cover and returning fire.”

By Jerome Aliotta

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Research, Robotics, SOF | 1 Comment »

NATO Allies Train in Poland for Exercise Saber Strike

Wednesday, March 9th, 2022

BEMOWO PISKIE TRAINING AREA, Poland — The United States and Polish militaries held a closing ceremony for the Polish phase of exercise Saber Strike on Feb. 26.

Including approximately 13,000 participants from 13 nations, exercise Saber Strike is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercise in Eastern Europe held bi-annually since 2010. Saber Strike demonstrates how U.S. Army Europe and Africa can deploy combat-credible European-based units to Poland, the Baltics and Central Europe. Saber Strike provides training in a winter environment and increases air defense-interoperability within the Baltic Region, while increasing the host-nations’ ability to integrate U.S. capabilities and reinforces the alliance.

“During Saber Strike we’re conducting air and missile defense training with our NATO Allies,” said U.S. Army Col. Patrick Thompson, 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade commander. “This training helps build inoperability among our NATO Allies and partners.”

U.S. presence in Europe and the relationships built throughout the past 70 years provide the U.S. strategic access critical to meet NATO commitments. Saber Strike is designed to ensure that U.S. forces and participating allied forces are trained, able to operate together and are ready to respond to any threat from any direction.

Saber Strike 22 was also the exercise debut of four prototype Maneuver Short Range Air Defense platforms. The M-SHORAD defends maneuvering forces against unmanned aircraft systems, rotary-wing, and residual fixed-wing threats.

“The unit is conducting combined arms training strategy tied with their new equipment training to ensure the system is fielded as fast as it can to get it out to the force,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Greg Brady, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command commanding general.

The 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, a part of 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, is the first unit in the U.S. Army to field, test and receive the M-SHORAD weapons system.

“We’ve been testing the capabilities of the M-SHORAD and U.S. link capabilities to be able to transmit data from our systems and sharing that to the Polish Army,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Brandon Anthony, a vehicle commander assigned to 5-4 ADA.

“We’re sending data links back and forth with the Polish so we can get air pictures and be able to track aircrafts in the sky,” said Jack Potter, a gunner for 5-4 ADA.

On March 10, 5-4 ADA is scheduled to conduct a live fire exercise demonstration on the Baltic Sea coast of Estonia.

Training events like Saber Strike 22 are planned well in advance and are not connected to any current or ongoing operations.