Transporting lethality - New crane increases readiness

Photo By Sgt. LaShawna Custom | Sgt. 1st Class Labronze Wilkins, a patriot launching station enhanced operator/maintainer from 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bragg, N.C. read the guided missile transporter (GMT) manual to his Soldiers as they conducted the steps during the new equipment training March 19, 2019 on Fort Bliss. 3-4 ADA is the second unit in the Army to receive the new GMT’s which replaced the old cranes that date back to 1901.  

EL PASO, TX, UNITED STATES

03.19.2019

Story by Sgt. LaShawna Custom 

32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bragg, N.C. conducted new equipment training on the latest A4 Guided Missile Transporter (GMT) that outfits the new Hydrauliska Industri AB cranes in preparation for deployment.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Clayton Doane, the senior air defense technician for 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command, noted that 3-4 ADA is the second unit in the Army to receive the new GMT’s which replaced the old cranes that date back to 1901.

“The new cranes improve readiness because maintenance will be better and it will be easier to keep them going,” said Doane.

Allen Peterson, a fielding team chief for heavy tactical vehicles who coordinates and conducts new fielding equipment and training, observed the Soldiers eight-hour operator training that teaches them how to operate the new system.

“It is imperative that we provide Soldiers with new systems to conduct their mission,” said Peterson. “The old GMT cranes are out of date and you can no longer order parts for them. This is the new and improved model. It functions as the old one with the same three-way movement as it loads patriot missiles. It has new controls and a new computer system.”

“I feel pretty good about this new equipment,” said Sgt. Charles Jurgel, a Patriot launching station enhanced operator/maintainer. “The operating system functions very well. It is similar to our older system but they have added more safety precautions into the equipment.”

Another Soldier from 3-4 ADA expressed the importance of having these new efficient resources before they excel in their upcoming mission.

“I’m glad they are fielding us with new equipment,” said Sgt. 1st Class Labronze Wilkins, a Patriot launching station enhanced operator/maintainer. “The training has been good because we can get hands-on with the equipment before taking on a challenging mission outside of garrison. Anything that will allow us to perform better at our jobs is always highly recommended.”


(By Sgt. La’Shawna Custom, 32d AAMDC Public Affairs)

• Date Taken: 03.19.2019
• Date Posted: 03.25.2019 17:16
• Story ID: 315631
• Location: EL PASO, TX, US