1st Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery

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1st Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery
Operation Iraqi Freedom Lessons Learned Air and
Missile Defense Commanders Conference United
States Air Defense Artillery School and Fort
Bliss, Texas 28 October 2003
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OIF PARTICIPATION1st BATTALION, 3rd AIR DEFENSE
ARTILLERY

• Air Defense Operations and Early Warning
• Air Space Command and Control
• Participated in every major battle. Killed over
  500 Iraqi combatants, destroyed 5 tanks,
  rocket launchers, multiple RPG teams, and over
  100 military vehicles
• Captured and processed over 1000 EPWs
• Non-traditional missions as separate maneuver
  battalion - LOC Security - 80 km of battle space
  for 3ID - Zone Recon, clear, blocking positions
  - SOSO, Civil Affairs, and Humanitarian
  Support - High Value Asset (HVA) Security -
  Security of Baghdad International Airport -
  Established city government and council for city
  of Abu Grahib vicinity Baghdad - Conducted
  US/Iraqi raids on arms dealers - Captured 14th
  Mech IN Brigade, Republican Guard HQs

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OIF PARTICIPATION1st BATTALION, 3rd AIR DEFENSE
ARTILLERY

• Conducted multiple missions with attached BRT,
  tank platoon, attack aviation, engineer company,
  chemical company, and tactical PSYOPS teams
  (TPTs)
• Secured F-18 crash site and provided security for
  recovery operations
• Assumed responsibility for movement and security
  of PATRIOT within divisions battle space
• Responsible for decision to emplace PATRIOT
  minimum engagement battery at HAA Yellow to cover
  3ID crossing sites on the Euphrates River
• Embedded media accompanied BN from Kuwait to
  Baghdad
• No soldiers lost or severely wounded during
  OEF/OIF
• No fratricide

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OIF LESSONS LEARNED1st BATTALION, 3rd AIR
DEFENSE ARTILLERY

• Collapsed battalion command post and ADCOORD
  section within DMAIN and DTAC CPs
• Long haul communications inadequate
• SHORAD OIF participation mandates change to
  branch role - Requires enhanced cruise missile
  capable systems - Need counter rocket,
  artillery, and mortar systems (RAM)- Provide RAM
  early warning to maneuver commanders
• Improve HTUs to expand situational awareness and
  graphics
• Acquire FBCB2 capability for key leaders and C2
• IFF equipment proved very durable and reliable.
  Sustain training with UAV and ATK AVN units
• JTIDS radios proved invaluable on noncontiguous
  battlefield. Must have repair parts in active
  theaters
• Need to develop a common air missile defense
  command post for all battalions plug and play

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OIF LESSONS LEARNED1st BATTALION, 3rd AIR
DEFENSE ARTILLERY

• Provide M2s for BN/BTRY commanders, S3 and PSGs.
  Must be able to C2 and fight forward with units
  in air and ground role
• Avenger extremely vulnerable and unable to fight
  forward
• AMDWS too bulky and hard drives unreliable need
  laptops
• CDS broken in active theater non-availability of
  repair parts
• Early warning severely degraded and unreliable
  during extensive maneuver operations. Little
  time to set radars
• Multi-functional capability of divisional air
  defense battalion provided an additional maneuver
  battalion for the division commander Every
  soldier a rifleman first
• Avengers and M2/M6s provided a 2-for-1 capability
  
• PATRIOT smaller batteries with better prime
  movers
• Re-evaluate command and support relationships
  between PATRIOT and maneuver commanders

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Operation Iraqi Freedom 1st BATTALION, 3rd AIR
DEFENSE ARTILLERY
Questions?