Retired Brig. Gen. Morgan Jellett

Missile Test Division representatives Lt. Col. Hector Acosta and Maj. David Dykema joined in lunch with retired and former air defense board members at the Great American Land and Cattle restaurant in Northeast El Paso Dec. 7.

At the meeting, the history of air defense in the military was discussed as well as the improvements over 67 years of protecting the skies. One specific major change, due to technological advances, is the implementation of the laser to guide missiles to the intended target.

Retired Brig. Gen. Morgan Jellett, former commander of 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and consultant for Space and Missile Defense, was one of the honored speakers at the luncheon.

“At one time, sighting the enemy aircraft depended upon U.S. acuity,” said Jellett. “Then in World War II, we got radar for detection … then missiles guided by radar and then infrared systems tracker hone in on heat generated by aircraft engines. Now, they’ve developed even further with the use of a laser.”

“As new technologies become available to the Army, we try to embrace those technology improvements in order to develop and deliver better tools to our Soldiers,” said Dykema.

Formerly called the Air Defense Board, the Missile Test Division here tests artillery in three phases before the Army approves or disapproves its use for defense. Most recently, MTD supported testing events for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and the Surface Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Air Defense System at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.

While the static dedication the ADA community has for the mission remains a constant, the weapons systems are dynamically in changes, including how the units are structured and the systems being tested, said Dykema.

Currently MTD continues to work on improvements to the Patriot missile system. Every two years the system is tested and upgraded. Currently operating the 6.5 system, MTD prepares to test the Patriot 7 next year. Although mission assignments persist in other areas, Acosta, chief of MTD, called the Patriot missile upgrades the “25-meter target,” or, the primary project.

Dykema said he feels “humble to have the opportunity to ensure that America’s sons and daughters have the right tools, the best equipment and the resources that they need to fight our nation’s wars.”

The Missile Test Division here is only one piece of a larger organization, the U.S. Army Operational Test Command, headquartered at Fort Hood, Texas.