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FORT IRWIN, California – Able Battery, 4th Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, “Vanguard,” made history as the first Maneuver Short Range Air Defense, known as M-SHORAD, Battery to conduct a live-fire Stinger engagement during the National Training Center Rotation 26-01 live-fire exercise on Oct. 17, 2025.
For the M-SHORAD Stinger live-fire, Vanguard employed an FM-92 Stinger missile targeted at an Outlaw drone. The Outlaw drone, which simulated an enemy aerial threat on the battlefield, executed a figure-8 flight-track north of the M-SHORAD Stryker firing position, allowing the vehicle crew to acquire, track and engage the target in accordance with their crew-fire engagement procedures. The result was a successful strike on the target with a live munition.
“This successful Stinger live-fire engagement marks a significant milestone in our effort to maintain dominance in multi-domain operations,” said Capt. Joel Witcher, the commander of Able Battery. “By integrating proven legacy systems with emerging technology, we have developed an immediate and effective response to drone-contested environments.”
The purpose of the exercise was for Vanguard to demonstrate its ability to perform its designated mission to protect the U.S. ground forces from aerial threats using vehicle-mounted Stinger missile launching systems. The protection that Vanguard provides from aerial threats enables the ground forces to maneuver freely.
Before the LFX, Vanguard demonstrated their combat effectiveness by playing a key role in the tactical success of 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, “Ready First,” during NTC Rotation 26-01. During the force-on-force tactical exercise phase of the rotation, Vanguard engaged rotary wing and class 1 and 2 drone platforms with high levels of accuracy through the integration of advanced protection concepts. The result is that they routinely successful in defending ground forces during the training exercise.
Capt. Witcher expressed pride in his Soldiers’ “consistent lethality and discipline in contested training environments [that] continue[s] to set the standard for our formation. As the threat evolves, so too does Vanguard—adaptable, innovative, and ready to fight and win.” Similarly, Sgt. Tyler Sommersmith, the vehicle commander of the M-SHORAD crew who conducted the LFX, noted how the successful life-fire strike produced “pride in [his] crew, pride in [his] unit and pride in [his] profession.”
The U.S. Army reactivated Vanguard on Nov. 21, 2022, as part of the initiative to stand up 10 Divisional Air Defense battalions to counter the evolving threats of multi-domain warfare. This transition reflects the Army’s modernization efforts to adapt to evolving battlefield demands and large-scale operations. While the battalion remains stationed at Fort Sill, Ok., they are officially part of 1st Armored Division. Their motto, “We Rule the Heavens!,” speaks to the Battalion’s mission set, commitment to excellence, and drive to dominate the aerial battle space. As part of 1st Armored Division’s DIVAD battalion, Vanguard is committed to safeguarding the division from both current and emerging aerial platform threats.
For more information contact the 1st Armored Division Public Affairs Office at 915-744-8406 or [usarmy.bliss.1-ad.mbx.1ad-public-affairs@army.mil](mailto:usarmy.bliss.1-ad.mbx.1ad-public-affairs@army.mil).
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.26.2025 18:41 |
| Story ID: | 550960 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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