HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army will soon assume a broader mission in defending the U.S. homeland, expanding from a focus on countering intercontinental ballistic missiles to address a much wider variety of threats, from drones to cruise missiles to hypersonic weapons, said Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, commander of Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
Through its 100th Missile Defense Brigade, the Army already manages command-and-control missions for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system that is designed to defend the homeland from ICBMs from North Korea and Iran. The GMD system is made up of 44 interceptors buried in the ground at Fort Greeley, Alaska, and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The 100th Missile Defense Brigade is made up of largely National Guardsmen but also includes active-duty soldiers…