Members of Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery pose with one of their Patriot missile launchers in Poland on Nov. 22, 2022.
Patriot is a defense system that protects Allied infrastructure, troops, and civilian populations from aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles.
Charlie and Delta Batteries deployed to NATO’s eastern flank just days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Their mission is to reassure our Allies that the U.S. stands firm in our commitment to Article 5 and to deter any potential acts of aggression.
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POLAND — The 1st Battalion, 62nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment will transfer authority of the U.S. Patriot mission in Eastern Europe to the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment on June 17, 2024. The 5-7 ADA rotation signals the U.S. and NATO’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the security and defense posture in Eastern Europe.
1-62 ADA has been defending NATO’s Eastern Flank as part of a multinational initiative to enhance the region’s security infrastructure for the past nine months. The deployment of the Patriot missile system is a prudent and purely defensive measure that underpins NATO’s collective defense and reinforces the U.S. commitment to protect our Allies, particularly on NATO’s Eastern Flank.
Patriot is a combat-tested system specifically designed to defeat aircraft, ballistic and cruise-type missiles. These batteries will provide an additional level of security supporting NATO self-defense capabilities.
“Transferring authority of the U.S. Patriot mission in Eastern Europe from 1-62 ADA BN to 5-7 ADA BN signifies a seamless transition and a continuation of our mission to safeguard the skies,” said U.S. Army Col. Bruce Bredlow, commander of the 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade. “We are immensely proud of the dedication demonstrated by 1-62 ADA BN, and we have full confidence that 5-7 ADA BN stands ready, trained, and prepared to assume this critical duty. Together, we uphold our commitment to defending Eastern Europe alongside our NATO allies.”
This deployment is part of a regular force rotation that follows the direction of the Secretary of Defense and is at the invitation of our Allies.
For further inquiries, please contact the 10th AAMDC Public Affairs office at +49 172 1410977 or USARMY.Rheinland-Pfalz.10AAMDC.PAO@army.mil