Friday, January 23, 2004
The Washington Times reports that an Alaska National Guard unit has been activated as "the United States' first ground-based missile defense unit..."
U.S. activates Alaska missile defense unit - (United Press International)
The unit, which will eventually boast 110 soldiers, will man ground-based interceptors that are designed to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles and give the military a deterrent and a defensive capability it currently doesn't have.
Maj. Gen. Larry Dodgen, commander of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, took part in Thursday's activation ceremony at Fort Greely in Alaska.
The Alaskans will be attached to the Colorado-based 100th Missile Defense Brigade.
That calls to mind this story from last March: North Korean Missile Warhead Found in Alaska. Nothing ever came of that, as I recall.
