The 2nd Multi-Area Activity Drive-Europe, U.S. Military Europe and Africa, and 1st Battalion, sixth Discipline Artillery Regiment, forty first Discipline Artillery Brigade converged with allies and companions to check and develop modernization efforts Sept. 9-20, 2021. The train, Thunder Cloud, examined high-altitude balloons, sensor to shooter capabilities, and long-range precision fires to experiment with new warfighting strategies. Thunder Cloud was the primary train of its variety and the primary of the newly activated 2nd MDTF. The U.S. Military’s 2nd multi-domain process drive synchronizes efforts throughout domains to ship joint freedom of motion. Partnerships made Thunder Cloud a hit within the Arctic Circle.

“Working within the Excessive North offers us a fantastic alternative to train with our allies, companions, and different providers. Thunder Cloud is essential to the Excessive North particularly as a result of we want to operationalize the stratosphere,” Col. Samuel Ybarra, G3, U.S. Military Europe and Africa mentioned.

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“Thunder Cloud is about three issues: modernization, partnership, and readiness…a part of multi-domain operations is discovering the brand new sensor’s greatest shooter, so this asset here’s a distinctive method to conduct focusing on,” Lt. Col. Dave Henderson, commander, 1st Battalion, sixth Discipline Artillery Regiment, forty first Discipline Artillery Brigade mentioned.

An electronics and engineering workforce from Raven Aerostar launches a excessive altitude balloon from Andoya Air Station to sense a simulated goal within the Norwegian Sea through the Thunder Cloud live-fire train in Andoya, Norway, Sept. 15, 2021. Three excessive altitude balloons have been launched into the stratosphere and relayed information to challenge coordinates for sensor to shooter fires. (U.S. Military picture by Spc. Joshua Thorne)

Industrial companions, like Raven Aerostar, enabled modernization efforts throughout the drive by offering new know-how to the U.S. Military. Raven Aerostar supplied high-altitude balloons, and launched the balloons into the stratosphere as a coordination effort for information on climate patterns and focusing on coordinates. Two of the domains, land and house, have been explored throughout Thunder Cloud and included the idea of long-range precision fires and high-altitude balloons. Integration of natural lengthy vary precision fires highlighted know-how modernization efforts to develop hearth methods throughout NATO forces.

The train prioritized future developments inside U.S. Military discipline artillery models and long-range precision fires. Andøya Area and the Norwegian army hosted the U.S. Military effort by facilitating location and help on the bottom. Collaboration between Andøya Area, Norwegian army and the 2nd Multi-Area Activity Drive-Europe allowed the U.S. Military to modernize its techniques and warfighting capabilities. The U.S., Norwegian army and companions are dedicated to dealing with rising threats. Modernizing the drive is crucial in optimizing lethality and shifting the joint drive into the long run.

US Army Test Sensor to Shooter Capabilities During Exercise Thunder Cloud in Norway
1st Battalion, sixth Discipline Artillery Regiment, forty first Discipline Artillery Brigade fires a Guided A number of Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) from a a number of launch rocket system through the Thunder Cloud live-fire train in Andoya, Norway on Sept. 15, 2021. The GMLRS is a surface-to-surface system used to assault, neutralize, suppress and destroy targets utilizing oblique precision fires as much as 70-plus kilometers. (U.S. Military picture by Spc. Joshua Thorne)