SHORAD: The Old Is New Again — The Return of Short Range Air Defense

[Talyn]

The rise of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles on modern battlefields has reinvigorated the U.S. Army's emphasis on short-range air defenses.

Via the Army University Press, this great 31-minute film covers the return of Short Range Air Defense, a doctrine and skill set thought all but dead after 1991, but now more important than ever.

It starts with some great Cold War footage of the old-school Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) and M48 Chaparral system, then advances through Stingers, Avengers, C-RAMs, and current initiatives like Sgt Stout.

The Return of SHORAD

Via the Army University Press, this great 31-minute film covers the return of Short Range Air Defense, a doctrine and skill set thought all but dead after 1991, but now more important than ever. It…

laststandonzombieisland.com

An AIM-92 Stinger missile is fired down-range from the US Army’s new Interceptor launch platform at the Eglin Air Force Base range on March 23. The 96th Test Wing hosted the Army’s Stinger-Based Systems and Raytheon for two days to demonstrate the new launch platform’s capabilities. The interceptor can hold up to four missiles and can be mounted and launched from a variety of ground vehicles.(Photo: Samuel King Jr./US Air Force)

 

[Grayfox]

1972-1974 I was a mechanic in C Btry, 2nd Btn, 5th Air Defense Artillery, 2nd Armored Div, Ft Hood, Texas. The Chaparral Missile system. Basically a Sidewinder fired from a ground launcher mounted in a tracked weapons carrier.
You got a few looks at it in the video.
Our battalion was made up of 2 Batteries of Chaparrals and 2 Batteries of Vulcans.
My Battery held the world record for the Chaparral Missile with an annual service practice score of 99.5%. All the missiles downed their targets. All procedures were perfect. They found one fire extinguisher that was out of date that cost us half a point.
"IF IT FLYS, IT DIES!"