4-3 ADA transfers authority to 2-43 ADA

Photo By Staff Sgt. SABATINO DIMASCIO | U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Myles Moore, assigned to the 4th Battalion 3rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment (4-3 ADA), performs the U.S. National Anthem on the violin during the 4-3 ADA transfer of authority ceremony, Jan. 26, 2023. The 4-3 ADA transferred responsibility of the MIM-104 Patriot missile systems at Al Dhafra AB to the 2nd Battalion 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment before returning to garrison at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sabatino DiMascio/Released)  

AL DHAFRA AIR BASE, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

01.26.2023

Story by 1st Lt. Alexandra Buckley 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

AL DHAFRA AIR BASE, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – The U.S. Army 4th Battalion 3rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment (4-3 ADA) transferred authority to the 2nd Battalion 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment (2-43 ADA), January 26, 2023, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The transfer of authority signified the successful completion of the “I Strike” battalion’s mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom – Spartan Shield.

The 4-3 ADA was first constituted May 8, 1794, in the Regular Army as the 3rd Company, 4th Battalion, corps of artillerists and engineers. Its lineage spanned more than two centuries from the war of 1812 to present, making it the oldest Air Defense Battalion in the Active Army. The 4-3 ADA has served in almost every major conflict in defense of the United States, and since its reactivation in 2010, the deployment they completed as of January 26, 2023, is their third in support of Operation Enduring Freedom – Spartan Shield.

Brig. Gen. David R. Lopez, the Commander of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing said, “It was my honor to attend the Transfer of Authority ceremony for the 4-3 ADA as they handed the baton to the 2-43 ADA. We welcome the 2-43 ADA and look forward to working together; the bar set by the 4-3 ADA is high, but we have every confidence that the 2-43 ADA will continue its vigilant watch.”

Lopez was accompanied by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Richard Quirk, the Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché of the United States Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Chief Master Sgt. Jennifer McKeen, 380th AEW command chief.

Hailing from Fort Bliss, Texas, Lt. Col. Kurt A. Pryor, 2-43 ADA commander, is confident the ‘Warrior’ Battalion 2-43 ADA is prepared and ready to face the challenges of providing around-the-clock air and missile defense for Al Dhafra and Al Udeid Air bases.

“I am proud of all the hard work and long hours the soldiers of 2-43 ADA put in preparing for this mission. I appreciate the transparency and work of 4-3 ADA during the Relief in Place period,” said Pryor. “2-43 ADA is ready to meet the challenge of maintaining that standard while also being great partners and teammates to the 379th and 380th AEWs.”

• Date Taken: 01.26.2023
• Date Posted: 02.01.2023 09:16
• Story ID: 437606
• Location: AL DHAFRA AIR BASE, AE