2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery (ADA)
On January 5, 2000 Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control - Dallas was awarded a $48 million Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract for the production of 20 PAC-3 Missiles. With the LRIP contract signed, the PAC-3 Missile program was on schedule for First Unit Equipped (FUE), planned for CY 2001. The first unit to receive the PAC-3 Missile is the 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery (ADA) of the 35th ADA Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas. By early 2000 the 2-1 ADA was training with upgraded equipment capable of launching PAC-3 Missiles. This equipment included prototype PAC-3 Missile canisters, Fire Solution Computers (FSC) and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System (ELES). The early fielding of PAC-3 Missile ground equipment permitted the troops for 2/1 ADA to become fully proficient in PAC-3 Missile operations prior to the fielding of the PAC-3 Missile.
The entire battalion headed to McGregor Range on 3 December 2001 and remained in the McGregor Range complex through 7 December. All soldiers will return to Ft bliss for the weekend and ad select crews will return to McGregor Range to continue weapons qualifications until 13 December. The Battalion participated in Block Leave from 14 - 28 December.
Bravo Battery was chosen to become the first Brigade Ready Battery in the 35th ADA Brigade. On 01 August 2002 it assumed the mission, and became the Battery to deploy if needed. The Battery assumed this mission for 90 days, and it concluded on 01 November 2002. Soldiers went through a maintenance training period in March 2002 in preparation for this status, and from March through July 2002 went through a series of training, evaluations and field exercises. During the 90 day Ready status, no leave was authorized, no out of town passers were permitted, appointments were selective, and soldiers were on two hour recall with all of their bags.
In January 2001 at Eskan Village, the antiballistic missile defense mission in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait changed hands from one PATRIOT missile task force to another. Task Force 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment relieved Task Force 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, both home stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. Lt. Col. John Rossi, Commander of TF 2-1 ADA unfurled the unit colors marking the assumption of the mission. TF 1-1 ADA Commander Lt. Col. Kelvin Bright cased his unit's colors marking the beginning of his unit's trip home. TF 2-1 ADA became a subordinate unit to U.S. Army Forces Central Command - Saudi Arabia (ARCENT-SA). Incoming TF 2-1 ADA was the first PATRIOT missile unit to deploy with elements of its National Guard counterparts. Battery B (PATRIOT), 1st Battalion, 203rd ADA Regiment, Alabama Army National Guard, joined TF 2-1 ADA in this historic rotation.
After returning from Southwest Asia, Delta's focus in the field was to "get back to the basics". During spring 2002, a good portion of Delta Battery deployed to the Republic of Korea for an exercise. Korea is the "on order" mission of 35th Brigade. This trip allowed many of the soldiers to receive the ultimate training. They went precisely where they would if called to defend freedom on the Korean Peninsula.
The 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery, arrived in South Korea in November 2004 and moved into quarters on Kwangju Air Base, a South Korean air force installation in the southwest part of the peninsula. Deploying with it to Kwangju was the 178th Maintenance Company. About 425 troops from both units moved to Kwangju. Two batteries with a total of 16 fire units of the new Patriot Advanced Capability 2 and 3 missile defense systems deployed to Gwangju [Kwangju] Air Base.
