In Washington, Maj. Gen. Sean Gainey informed the House Armed Services Committee that the U.S. Army worked for almost a decade to reduce the pressure on troops operating Patriot air defense systems, but the technology’s demand mostly undid that progress. Gainey was later confirmed as the Army’s new Space and Missile Defense Command leader, allowing him to pin on a third star. Gainey warned that all of the Patriot units are currently below the secretary of defense’s red line of deploying for one year and returning home for two years.
Army leadership hopes Congress approves a supplemental funding request with $750 million to increase Patriot missile production capacity by more than a hundred a year beyond current capacity, from 550 to roughly 650 missiles. The long-term challenge of having Patriot missiles for a Pacific scenario is another reason the Army is asking for Congress’s support. If approved, it will improve the situation over time and build up stocks faster. Army leadership is also considering other strategies to address the challenge with the Patriot force, which is known to have the highest operational tempo in the service.
The Army announced its plan to build an additional battalion, but operational tempo won’t improve, according to Gen. James Rainey, the head of Army Futures Command. Force retention for air defenders is high, with the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command leading the Army Forces Command for retention. Bush, the Army’s acquisition chief, also mentioned the strain on the force, noting that sustaining Patriot missile capacity will be challenging amid ongoing conflicts.
