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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – The Space and Missile Defense Symposium, an educational, professional development and networking event, returns to Huntsville’s Von Braun Center August 5-7.
With the theme, “Space and Integrated Air, Missile Defense: Defending America at Home and Abroad,” the 28th annual symposium brings together industry leaders, government officials and technical experts; to include decision and policy makers, technologists, scientists and engineers.
The symposium propels innovation and strategic dialogue in the space and missile defense community.
Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense commander, will open the symposium on Tuesday morning with a space and missile defense update, concentrating on what’s next for SMDC as the command continues to transform, reshaping itself to ensure the Army wins the next fight.
“The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is the Army’s space and missile defense warfighting headquarters,” Gainey said.
Gainey’s remarks will center on the outsized value that SMDC brings to warfighting and the criticality of space and missile defense for national security.
“SMDC includes two of the Army’s most unique and lethal formations, 1st Space Brigade and the 100th Missile Defense Brigade and is the modernization proponent and operational integrator for global space, missile defense, and high-altitude warfighting capabilities,” Gainey said. “At SMDC we’re adding operational value wherever we can.”
The Army space and air and missile defense enterprise is consistently pushing the envelope when it comes to innovation, researching, developing, testing and fielding new technologies, often getting direct feedback from the Soldiers in the field, transforming in contact to innovate and adapt efficiently. To discuss these initiatives, Brig. Gen. Donald K. Brooks, SMDC deputy commanding general for operations, will participate on a U.S. Space Command panel and Timothy Bishop, SMDC Center of Excellence director, will serve as an acquisition update for space and missile defense panel member.
SMDC team members will also participate in the symposium’s technical track program in Technical Track Room 1. The themes are: “Missile Defeat Modeling, Simulation and Analysis – Approach, Challenges and Lessons Learned” Tuesday at 1:35 p.m.; and “Strengthening Space and Missile Defense with AI” Wednesday at 1:35 p.m.
Wednesday, Dr. Keith Krapels, SMDC Technical Center director, will be on a next generation space and missile defense panel and John Mason, SMDC’s acting directed energy technologies division chief, will participate in a directed energy panel.
Later Wednesday evening, Gainey and SMDC Command Sgt. Maj. John W. Foley will give a salute to the warfighter and Gainey will administer the oath of enlistment to approximately 20 future Soldiers at the symposium’s 4th consecutive Oath of Enlistment ceremony.
Thursday morning, SMDC’s Gainey; Col. Thomas V. Petrini, Army Capabilities Manager for Strategic Missile Defense; and Col Dani Williams, 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense) commander; will participate in a panel for the air and missile defense of the homeland.
To view these and other SMD Symposium events, visit the DVIDS feature page at https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/SMDSymposium2025.
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.29.2025 09:30 |
| Story ID: | 544101 |
| Location: | HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 153 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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