Sixty-five Soldiers and 135 Government Civilians started a yearlong test on the latest Patriot Missile System upgrade. This upgrade is the newest one since 2018. Starting in early June 2022, U.S. Army Operational Test Command’s (OTC) Air and Missile Defense Test Directorate (AMDTD) worked alongside Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery Test Detachment (ADATD), 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and multiple government agencies to test the system update to ensure it is ready for Soldiers. The Patriot Missile System is a highly mobile air defense guided missile system designed to engage and intercept any aerial threats.
In addition to software and hardware upgrades, the Patriot system is also getting a more user-friendly interface allowing Soldiers to be trained faster. 3-6 ADATD is a locally based unit at WSMR, tasked with testing air defense equipment. 3-6 ADA Soldiers got first-hand experience with the new system, running it through multiple simulations, environments, and live fire tests to enable the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland to provide a thorough and complete evaluation on this new equipment upgrade.
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied states. It is manufactured by the U.S. defence contractor Raytheon and derives its name from the radar component of the weapon system. The AN/MPQ-53 at the heart of the system is known as the “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target” which is a backronym for PATRIOT. Patriot has been given the function of the U.S. Army’s anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system, which is now Patriot’s primary mission. The system is expected to stay fielded until at least 2040.
The Air and Missile Defense Test Directorate (AMDTD) plans and conducts independent operational testing of air and missile defense related programs. Functions as OTC forward integration element at Fort Bliss, Texas for Army, and Joint modernization efforts. A team centric organization focused on planning and executing credible Air & Missile Defense Operational Tests. AMDTD executes test missions with professionalism, honesty, and integrity (truth) to ensure our customers attain the best capability to outpace any threat.
As the Army’s only independent operational tester based at Fort Hood, Texas, the U.S. Army Operational Test Command (USAOTC) tests Army, joint, multi-service, and multi-domain warfighting systems in realistic operational environments; using skilled Soldiers to provide data on whether the systems are effective, suitable, and survivable. USAOTC is required by public law to test major systems before they are fielded to its ultimate customer — the American Soldier
