NEWS

DIA Breaks Ground on New Explosive Ordnance Exploitation Complex

November 6, 2012

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) broke ground on the new Missile and Space Intelligence Center (MSIC) Explosive Ordnance Exploitation Operations Complex at Redstone Arsenal Nov. 5 in Huntsville, AL. The complex is a $10.5 million, 25,000-square-foot military construction project providing for state-of-the-art exploitation of foreign materiel. DIA will use this new facility to disassemble/reassemble missile systems and components in a modern, safe environment.

The ground breaking ceremony was held at Redstone Arsenal and was attended by DIA Deputy Director David Shedd; MSIC Director Pam McCue, Senator Richard Shelby; Congressman Mo Brooks; Lt. Gen. Patricia McQuistion, deputy commanding general, Army Materiel Command; and Lt. Gen. Richard Formica, commander, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Force Strategic Command.

Shedd remarked that the ground breaking was about more than a new facility. It is about putting the latest technology in the hands of the analyst.

"It enables analysts from the intelligence community, in particular the Missile and Space Intelligence Center, to be able to have the latest available computation and modeling to be able to understand how these systems operate and better protect our service men and women."

Senator Shelby stated, "We have challenges all over the world," and that the "unheralded work of the people is essential to our defense." Representative Brooks shared similar sentiments, "This facility will help with securing our nation."

The new 25,000-square-foot Explosive Ordnance Complex will include seven new facilities and two storage buildings to support DIA and MSIC operations. The complex will be a community asset, providing unique capabilities that DIA will share with other Redstone Arsenal organizations. This facility will enable DIA and MSIC to provide enhanced exploitation support to local customers, such as the Missile Defense Agency; U.S. Army Materiel Command; U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Lifecycle Management Command; U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command; Federal Bureau of Investigation's Terrorist Explosive Devices Analysis Center, Redstone Test Center; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; and various other local U.S. Army organizations.

As an office with DIA, MSIC evaluates all sources of intelligence data on foreign weapon characteristics, performance, and operations. It produces scientific and technical intelligence assessments on foreign missile systems, space programs, and relevant command and control structures. Its expertise serves everyone from the warfighter on the ground to the Secretary of Defense.

DIA is the nation’s premier all-source military intelligence organization.

It provides the nation’s most authoritative assessments of foreign military intentions and capabilities. The agency’s four core competencies -- human intelligence, all-source analysis, counterintelligence and technical intelligence -- enable military operations while also informing policy-makers at the defense and national levels.

DIA’s mission is unique and no other agency matches its military expertise across such a broad range of intelligence disciplines.