Redstone Arsenal Overview

Redstone Arsenal BRAC Construction Briefing 18 Dec 06 - Download (PDF) » - Download (PowerPoint) » Redstone Arsenal, together with a cadre of adjoining private sector support contractors, is the Army’s most capable weapon system development center for missiles and helicopters. It encompasses cradle-to-grave capabilities ranging from: futuristic applicable science, research, and technology; technical, cost, and schedule assessments supporting future weapons requirements definitions; system development, production, and fielding; to logistics support and evolutionary upgrades. This is done by the Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC), Program Executive Offices, Project Offices, and Testing and Logistics Centers. The Arsenal features state-of the-art office buildings and laboratories and outdoor test ranges. Less than a mile north is Cummings Research Park, a large complex of modern contractor facilities, and second largest research park in the United States (after Research Triangle Park). Adjacent to Research Park is the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and five miles to the northeast, Alabama A&M University, both with highly accredited engineering and technology programs. Redstone uses the capabilities of these schools and others nearby like Georgia Tech, Auburn, and Mississippi State to provide inexpensive technical support and recruit new civil service employees. As important as the development and fielding of the many missile systems has been, of equal importance is the evolution of technology and technical capabilities that enable each generation of missiles to significantly outperform earlier systems. This is because the AMRDEC and SMDC have stayed abreast of technology advances and been directly involved in developing futuristic science and technology programs – in many cases working directly with nearby universities. Their engineers are also involved directly with Program Offices, providing engineering support, much like engineering staffs of private industry matrix organizations. Recognizing the many advantages of the Huntsville/Redstone community, the Army moved the Aviation Command to Huntsville in 1997. Finally, because of proximity, Redstone engineers and program managers can maintain close relationships with the user community – Fort Benning, Ga., and Fort Rucker, Ala., as well as U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) at Fort McPherson, Ga. Both the AMRDEC and SMDC are closely tied in with the air defense community at Fort Bliss, TX and the Field Artillery community at Fort Sill, OK. As a result, Redstone engineers can play an essential and meaningful role in informing users about evolving technology and resulting capabilities. They can also provide necessary inputs on anticipated performance, cost, and schedule – basic to the generation of meaningful requirements documents. Thus, over the years Redstone has evolved into a most productive integrated cradle-to-grave missile and helicopter development facility. It is supported by a highly skilled and knowledgeable work force – consisting of government and private sector people, both on and off of the Arsenal. By having all functions in effect co-located, interactive efficiency is maximized; engineers from AMRDEC, SMDC, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA-MSFC, tenant on Redstone), the nearby universities, and companies in Research Park can be quickly accessed by program/project managers either as short-term consultants or for long-term matrix support. Local governments, Alabama, and the entire region are very pro-military and very supportive of our troops. The Alabama Air and Army National Guard constitute the third largest National Guard in the nation. A uniform here is a badge of honor. This support, together with easy access to pleasant surroundings including mountains, lakes, and open fields; a moderate climate; all kinds of indoor and outdoor activities; the low cost of living, and no urban sprawl eases recruiting of top-notch people by government and local support contractors.

Redstone Arsenal: History

In 1945, the United States Army “liberated” Dr. Wernher von Braun and his rocket team, which had developed the infamous V-2 Rocket; brought them to the United States; and settled them 3 at White Sands, New Mexico. In 1949, this team was transferred to Redstone Arsenal. There they continued work on ballistic missiles, naming one of their early successes “Redstone.” When the Navy tried and failed to launch a satellite using the Vanguard as a booster and the Russians successfully orbited Sputnik, von Braun offered to orbit America’s first satellite. Given the go-ahead, the Army successfully orbited Explorer I aboard a modified Redstone rocket. Subsequently, the United States broadened and expanded the charter of the old National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) to become NASA. NASA then established a number of field centers, one of which became the MFSC, located as a tenant on Redstone Arsenal. Dr. von Braun and part of his team were transferred to MSFC to work on space boosters, with their work resulting in the Saturn Boosters that put men on the moon and creating the first manned space station, Skylab. The remainder of the team, plus American engineers, continued to work on ballistic missiles (both tactical and strategic) for the Army. Jupiter, an intermediate-range ballistic missile, was deployed in Italy and Turkey and later deactivated in exchange for Russia’s withdrawing missiles from Cuba in 1961. Pershing was deployed in Western Europe in the ’80s in response to the Soviet deployment of a destabilizing IRBM, the SS-20. Army expertise at Redstone progressed from ballistic missiles to tactical surface-air, air-air, surface-surface, and missile defense systems. Air defense missiles included short-range Redeye and Stinger and longer range Nike, HAWK, and PATRIOT, as well as the first anti-ballistic missiles, Spartan and Sprint. Surface-surface missiles include short, medium, and long range, from 500-meter antitank missiles to 100-plus-kilometer guided artillery rockets. In parallel with work on tactical and strategic offensive missiles, a Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (now designated SMDC) was established 40 years ago to work on ballistic missile defense technology and systems. Sprint and Spartan resulted from this work. They were deployed in 1973 and then decommissioned because of the START I Treaty. Nevertheless, technology work continued that is now the basis for the Missile Defense Agency’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, to be deployed initially in 2004.

Redstone Arsenal: Redstone Agencies

Aviation and Missile Research, Development & Engineering Center (AMRDEC) AMRDEC's mission is to plan, manage and conduct research, exploratory and advanced development, and provide one-stop life cycle engineering, technical, and scientific support for aviation and missile weapon systems and their support systems, UAV platforms, robotic ground vehicles, and all other assigned systems, programs and projects. Fox Army Health Center Fox Army Health Center, dedicated in September 1978, is an ambulatory care center consisting of a Primary Care Clinic, Pediatric Clinic, Internal Medicine Clinic, Surgical Clinic, Physical Therapy, Optometry Clinic, Occupational Medicine Clinic and the Public Health and Education Center. We also provide pathology, radiology, and pharmacy services. The Redstone Arsenal Dental Clinic shares space in the same building. Outlying services are the Behavioral Medicine Division and the Army Substance Abuse Program. Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Joint Project Office (GMDJPO) To develop and field an integrated Ballistic Missile Defense System capable of providing a layered defense for the United States and its deployed forces, friends and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges in all phases of flight. MDA is responsible for research, development, testing and evaluation. Logistics Support Activity (LOGSA) Over the course of the last 10 years LOGSA has evolved from multiple logistics information systems to the single web-based Logistics Integrated Database to access LOGSA's numerous logistics and acquisition tools, enabling real-time, streamlined analysis across all logistics disciplines. LOGSA serves as the Army and DoD champion for the integrity and integration of logistics data in support of weapon systems maintenance, readiness, supply, transportation, equipment authorizations, asset and intransit visibility. Additionally LOGSA is the responsible organization for numerous key Army and DoD missions that are highlighted on our homepage. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) MSFC's mission is to enable, through their values-based culture the unbounded access to and use of space to benefit humanity. Ordnance Munitions & Electronics Maintenance School (OMEMS) Train disciplined, confident, motivated, fit, values based, tactically and technically proficient, combat-ready Soldiers and leaders for worldwide assignment capable of immediately contributing positively to their unit. Provide command, control, and administration, training and logistics for 73rd Ordnance Battalion, 832nd Ordnance Battalion, Patriot Training Detachment, Explosive Ordnance Detachment and the Radar Repair Training Detachment. Program Executive Office - Missiles and Space The PEO Missiles and Space provides centralized management for all Army tactical and air defense missile programs and selected Army Space programs. The PEO was established in January 2005 with the merger of the PEO Air, Space and Missile Defense and the PEO Tactical Missiles. The PEO is responsible for the full life-cycle management of assigned programs. Program Executive Office - Aviation Provide the Army with technologically superior and affordable Systems that are: Capable, Safe, Survivable, Sustainable.

  

Education

Alabama Department of Edcuation www.alsde.edu/html/home.asp Tennessee Department of Education www.state.tn.us/education Regional Universities Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, AL www.aamu.edu Athens State University, Athens, AL www.athens.edu Oakwood College, Huntsville, AL www.oakwood.edu The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL www.uah.edu The University of North Alabama, Florence, AL www.una.edu University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL www.ua.edu Auburn University, Auburn, AL www.auburn.edu University of Memphis, Memphis, TN www.memphis.edu Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN www.vanderbilt.edu Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA www.gatech.edu Mississippi State University www.msstate.edu University of Mississippi www.olemiss.edu Community Colleges John C. Calhoun Community College, Huntsville/Decatur, AL www.calhoun.edu Northeast Alabama Community College, Rainsville, AL www.nacc.edu Northwest-Shoals Community College, Muscle Shoals, AL www.nwscc.edu Snead State Community College, Boaz, AL www.snead.edu Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, AL www.wallacestate.edu  Technical College J.F. Drake State Technical College, Huntsville, AL www.drakestate.edu

Media

Everything Alabama News and classifieds from The Huntsville Times, The Birmingham News, Mobile Register www.al.com Cullman Times www.cullmantimes.com Decatur Daily www.decaturdaily.com Florence TimesDaily www.timesdaily.com Hartselle Enquirer www.hartselleenquirer.com The Daily Sentinel (published in Scottsboro) http://thedailysentinel.com/ Southern Living Magazine www.southernliving.com Who's Who in Huntsville Magazine www.whoswhoinhuntsville.com/