By Sean Kimmons, Army News Service
A small, remote Alaskan post bordered by mountains and moose herds, Fort Greely is America's major line of defense against long-range enemy rockets.
Inside its heavily-guarded Missile Defense Complex, rows of ground-based interceptor missiles that are tucked away in underground silos and radars dot the landscape. Within minutes, the missiles can blast off into space to collide with and destroy warheads speeding toward U.S. soil.
Using data from sea, land and space-based sensors, Soldiers of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion can spot a rocket launch from anywhere in the world. If an attack occurs, the 100th Missile Defense Brigade in Colorado Springs, Colorado, would then relay permission for the battalion to fire.
A number of recent rocket launches have originated from North Korea, which has threatened it could strike the U.S. with an intercontinental ballistic missile -- a powerful rocket capable of hitting a target with a nuclear weapon.
Despite the new threats, Lt. Col. Orlando Ortega, the battalion commander, said his well-trained Alaskan National Guard unit operates in a constant state of readiness.
"We've always been ready," he said. "Nothing really has changed from what we did a year ago. We were ready then and we're ready now."
https://www.army.mil/article/194934/in_face_of_north_korean_threats_fort_greely_stands_ready_on_frontline
