AFSPC honors space warning unit
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – Air Force Space Command added a new exhibit at Peterson’s Air and Space Museum, Dec. 17, honoring a five-year mission that ended in September.
A console similar to the one used by members of the 11th Space Warning Squadron was opened at the museum, complete with dual overhead monitors activated by buttons on the console to show video demonstrations.
The exhibit recognizes the end of an era of theater missile defense and warning when the 11th SWS at Schriever Air Force Base was deactivated Sept. 24.
The 11th SWS became operational in 1995. They used infrared data from the constellation of Defense Support Program satellites to warn deployed troops in theater of short-range missiles, as well as significant other events around the globe.
Theater missile warning evolved as a tactical concept during Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. For the first time in history, U.S. personnel participated in a major land campaign where they faced missile threats from highly mobile and hard-to-find weapons systems. This meant existing U.S. Strategic Missile Warning units (which were created to spot long, hot-burning intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from the Soviet Union) were forced to perform a mission for which they were not originally designed — the detection and warning of shorter-burning, short-range missiles launched less than 1,000 kilometers from deployed forces.
Though these units did a commendable job at warning deployed forces, delays in reporting needed improvement. Political and military leaders saw the need for a better detection system with a dedicated theater role to solely and rapidly get information to deployed forces. They needed a dedicated surveillance system for theater missile defense.
As a result, the Attack and Launch Early Reporting to Theater system was established in 1992, growing from concept to initial operational capability in only three years.
Since 1995, ALERT has provided assured theater missile warning to the combat warfighter. With off-the-shelf computer technology, the 11th SWS provided near real-time surveillance and post-event analysis of theater-class ballistic missile launches, such as SCUD missiles, to theater forces, unified commanders and other military leaders.
Through each contingency, ALERT evolved and adapted to the changing needs of the deployed warfighter. With each successive campaign, the unit developed new tactics, techniques and procedures to refine and shorten the warning process.
When ALERT was deactivated, the theater missile warning torch was passed to the DSP follow-on, Space-Based Infrared System, 2nd Space Warning Squadron, at Buckley AFB, Colo., to assume the nation’s critical missile defense and warning mission, and to provide greater capability with modern equipment and enhanced space assets.
