Courtesy Photo | An unarmed Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile launches during the Glory...... read more read more
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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – A U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command team played an important behind-the-scenes role in supporting the Air Force’s Glory Trip-253.
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, during Air Force Global Strike Command’s operational test and impacted in a pre-established target zone roughly 4,200 miles away May 21 near USASMDC’s Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, or RTS, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
The RTS Operation Center – Huntsville, or ROC-H, provides command and control for test missions and space operations despite being more than 6,500 miles from Kwajalein, which is located halfway between Hawaii and Australia.
ROC-H is the mission control center for RTS. All the radars at RTS are controlled and operated from ROC-H. The optics and telemetry sites on Kwajalein Atoll are managed by the controllers in ROC-H. The data upon mission completion is sent to ROC-H for analysis and distribution to the customer.
“Reagan Test Site is an indispensable national asset, uniquely equipped to support critical tests of our nation’s offensive and defensive systems, including all Glory Trip missions,” said Army Lt. Col. Casey Rumfelt, RTS range director. “Its specialized instrumentation and strategic location are unmatched globally, ensuring the effectiveness of our nation’s strategic deterrent.”
The purpose of the ICBM test launch is to demonstrate the readiness of U.S. nuclear forces and provide confidence in the lethality and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent. The test results will verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system and provide valuable data. The ICBM test launch program demonstrates the operational capability of the Minuteman III and ensures the United States’ ability to maintain a strong, credible nuclear deterrent as a key element of national security and the security of U.S. allies and partners.
As a Department of Defense Major Test Range Facility Base, RTS radars, imaging systems, data collection capabilities, and personnel have supported hundreds of missile tests ranging from validation of concepts and designs for intercontinental ballistic missiles to anti-satellite systems to ballistic missile defense systems for more than 50 years.
Rumfelt said the mission holds a special place in his heart and was not just another test, but his final Glory Trip mission as the RTS range director.
“The successful execution of this Minuteman III test reflects the disciplined coordination of the U.S. Strategic Command, the Air Force, and the Reagan Test Site team,” Rumfelt said. “As I conclude my tenure as range director, I remain proud of what this range represents-strategic precision, technical excellence, and enduring reliability. RTS stands as a vital link in our nation’s defense posture, and it has been an honor to lead this team through missions that matter.
“Every Minuteman III launch we support at RTS is a testament to the precision, dedication, and quiet excellence of this team,” he added. “Out here on Kwajalein, we don’t just observe history - we help shape it. I’ll carry the lessons, the memories, and the spirit of this island with me long after the last echo of this mission fades. It’s been an honor to serve.”
Reagan Test Site’s two tracking radars, ARPA Long-Range Tracking and Instrumentation Radar, or ALTAIR, and Target Resolution and Discrimination Experiment, or TRADEX, support tests, as well as the two imaging radars, the ARPA Lincoln C-Band Observables Radar, or ALCOR, and the Millimeter Wave, or MMW.
Tarun Gupta, acting director of RTS, said the range also uses multiple high-speed optical and camera systems to capture every measurable data opportunity. He added that post mission, the metrics team at the RTS Data Analysis Center performs data analysis in support of customer requirements, working to fully flesh out all the collected data and perform extensive analysis.
Gupta said RTS serves as a range supporting all Air Force Global Strike Glory Trip tests. It provides range instrumentation, ground range safety, meteorological support and data analysis and uses a full spectrum of support, including multiple radar frequencies, telemetry, and multiple high-speed optical and camera systems to capture every measurable data opportunity and provide data and information critical to system performance evaluations.
“The test results will verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system and provide valuable data,” Gupta said. “The ICBM test launch program demonstrates the operational capability of the Minuteman III and ensures the United States’ ability to maintain a strong, credible nuclear deterrent as a key element of national security and the security of U.S. allies and partners.”
Gupta said the RTS team works tirelessly to maintain the sensors and keep the range alive. He added the Mission Operations and Mission Safety Team coordinated closely with mission partners to make sure testing requirements are met and the mission is conducted safely.
“The team performed brilliantly, and I could not be prouder,” Gupta said. “It takes a lot of effort from all RTS team members to make these missions happen. The Mission Operations and Mission Safety Team have been working on this mission for the last two years and to finally see it all come together is a magnificent sight. They work very hard, in sometimes seemingly impossible conditions, with less than what used to be required, and are still finding a way to make this critical mission happen. I’m humbled to work with such dedicated professionals.”
Terry Bauer, GT-253 range control officer, was the interface between the customer and RTS and controlled the GT-253 RCO checklist which monitored the ranges progress and kept the Air Force informed of the status and readiness in support of the test. He added that RTS provides the terminal data collection for the Glory Trip missions and RTS radars, telemetry and optics sites all provide invaluable information to the Air Force Global Strike Command which is the Air Force’s proponent for the Minuteman fleet and RTS’ customer.
“The RTS team works very well together,” Bauer said. “As part of the Mission Operations Division, we are responsible for insuring the entire RTS team is on the same page and focused on accomplishing the mission for the customer. We are in constant communication during the mission prep, launch and splash down. The team at RTS and here in Huntsville are extremely professional and motivated to provide the customer with the best test experience possible.
“RTS provides the Department of Defense with a highly instrumented test range that can support everything for long range missile tests, short and medium range targets, and target intercepts by the Army and Navy,” he added. “Our radars also provide DoD and NASA with space object awareness and tracking, as well as target tracking as required. RTS is critical to Glory Trip mission success. All radar, telemetry and scoring data from the acquisition of the signal from the test objects at mid-point of the trajectory to splash down is collected by RTS sensors. The data is analyzed by the RTS Data Analysis Center post mission and sent to the Air Force customer.”
| Date Taken: | 05.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2025 15:04 |
| Story ID: | 498732 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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