MDAA Alert: Put It Where The Sun Don’t Shine

Ground Based Interceptor in Silo

Dear Members and Friends,

Over the past few days, MDAA has been in Fort Greely, Alaska touring the three Ground Based Midcourse Interceptor Fields and visiting the U.S. Army Soldiers stationed here, including the 49th Battalion, 100th Missile Defense Brigade. Today the Pacific Combat Commander Admiral Bob Willard is visiting Fort Greely; Fort Greely falls under the Admiral’s Pacific Command. Fort Greely is unique in that it falls under several US Combat Commanders control; U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) headed by Gen. Gene Renuart, U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) headed by Gen. Kevin P. Chilton and Adjutant General for Alaska Gen. Tomas H Katkus.

Missile Field One and Missile Field Three, located in the center of Alaska, are currently populated with Ground-Based Interceptors (GBI) which are the only defense against long-range ballistic missile threats, particularly from North Korea, for the United States homeland. Ground-Based Interceptor missiles are, and will always remain, the last line of defense for the American Public; hopefully they will never be used. These mid-course / mid-space interceptors can engage the extremely high speeds of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). This capability means they remain a critical part of a robust multi-layered defensive system and currently provide the last land-based layer of defense for the United States homeland. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that homeland defense is the first priority of our nation’s missile defense systems in the Ballistic Missile Defense Review, released February 1st.