U.S. Space Force Essential to U.S. Army Modernization

Photo By Senior Airman Kadielle Shaw | Members of the Space Launch Delta 30 2nd Range Operations Squadron pose for a group photo prior to the launch of a U.S. Army Precision Strike Missile from Vandenberg Space Base, Calif. on Oct. 5, 2021. Featured here (from left to right): Capt. Andrew Buday, 2nd Range Operations Squadron commander, 1st Lt. Chad Young, 2nd Range Operations Squadron commander, 1st Lt. Austin Chitwood, 2nd Range Operations Squadron flight commander, 1st Lt. Christopher Walsch, 2nd Range Operations Squadron weapons and tactics chief, Kristy Costello, 2nd Range Operations Squadron area surveillance officer, 1st Lt. Mike Ross, 2nd Range Operations Squadron chief of training, Monty Harshner, 2nd Range Operations Squadron area surveillance officer, Steven Taveras, 2nd Range Operations Squadron area surveillance officer, Capt. Adam Samlowski, 2nd Range Operations Squadron assistant director of operations, Maj. Donovan Hutchins, 2nd Range Operations Squadron director of operations, and Lt. Col. Nicholas Somerman, 2nd Range Operations Squadron commander. Not pictured: Ben O'Neal, 2nd Range Operations Squadron range engineer, John Burkett, 2nd Range Operations Squadron range engineer, Rick Winer, 2nd Range Operations Squadron program support manager, Ed Buchholz 2nd Range Operations Squadron program support manager, and various instrumentation support personnel across the western range. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman Kadielle Shaw)  

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, CA, UNITED STATES

10.13.2021

Story by Staff Sgt. Draeke Layman 

Space Launch Delta 30   

Space Launch Delta 30’s 2nd Range Operations Squadron range team recently conducted a U.S. Army Strategic and Operational Rockets and Missiles Project Office test launch of a Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, on Oct. 13, 2021 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.

Known technically as a theater-support, surface-to-surface, precision-strike, guided missile, PrSM launched from a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, field artillery launcher.

Vandenberg offers a unique geographical location with support from multiple, highly-skilled Airmen and Guardians across the base. The 2 ROPS members were able to aid the accomplishments of the PrSM program objective of safely and effectively testing the missile’s long-range mission trajectory and performance from the HIMARS launcher in STORM’s first-ever launch from the base.

Months of coordination, rehearsals and supporting instrumentation fixes by 2 ROPS members culminated in a successful test launch and proven demonstration of PrSM from a non-traditional launch environment.

Facilitating a launch like PrSM from Vandenberg helps amplify one of the Army’s top priorities from its Army Modernization Strategy, which states a need for “a deliberate, synchronized approach that modernizes how we fight, what we fight with, and who we are will enable the Army to achieve irreversible momentum now to build the Multi-Domain Operations ready force by 2035.”

• Date Taken: 10.13.2021
• Date Posted: 11.16.2021 14:52
• Story ID: 409448
• Location: VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, CA, US