U.S. Army Redstone Test Center Successfully Completes Pacific Shadow Mission, Showcasing the Future of Agile Test Instrumentation

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala.— The U.S. Army Redstone Test Center (RTC), a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC), recently concluded a highly successful maritime operation in the Pacific, demonstrating the capabilities of a new, rapidly deployable system designed to collect long-range missile test data while forging a critical data-sharing pathway with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

From mid-April to mid-May, the RTC Modular Open-System Architecture Instrumentation Capability (MOSAIC) team deployed aboard the RTC vessel Osprey. During this period, the team prepared for and flawlessly executed the organization's first Broad Ocean Area (BOA) shadow mission test in the Pacific Theater alongside the Reagan Test Range Vessel USAV Worthy. The operation validated the system's readiness for missile flight safety testing and reinforced RTC’s ability to project testing infrastructure globally.

RTC has been rigorously testing this series of containers, which are built for command and control, telemetry, flight termination, satellite communications, and weather. The MOSAIC concept germinated roughly three years ago as a collaborative effort between RTC and the Reagan Test Range (Kwajalein Atoll). Today, the program is funded through the War Department’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) as a cross-service Department of War asset.

During proof-of-concept testing, engineers and IT specialists monitored the Telemetry over Internet Protocol (TMoIP) data streams to verify system stability and data integrity. The success of this proof-of-concept paves the way for enhanced real-time situational awareness and more integrated, rapid data analysis for future interagency test missions.

The success of the Osprey mission and the new MDA data pathway underscore a broader vision for defense testing infrastructure. Traditionally, missile testing has relied on fixed range infrastructure. MOSAIC enables critical instrumentation capabilities to be rapidly deployed wherever the mission requires, reducing dependence on permanent facilities and expanding testing flexibility.

“The MOSAIC concept, team, and capability is proving to the DoW that intellectual property and instrumentation are not restricted to a physical range or location,” explained Kevin Percey, MOSAIC deputy program manager. “We like to say, ’Testing Without Limits.’ MOSAIC is collaboratively providing test support to all services and agencies utilizing an Army team via the DoW TRMC resources and guidance.”

More MOSAIC modules with expanded instrumentation capabilities, including radar, optics, and phased array, are currently being manufactured. The MOSAIC team will remain motivated and vigilant to meet the objectives of critical DoW test and evaluation requirements.

With the conclusion of this latest Pacific shadow mission, RTC has proven that this flexible, rapidly deployable vision is successfully becoming a reality.

"MOSAIC demonstrates ATEC's ability to deliver agile, expeditionary test capabilities wherever our customers need them," said COL Aaron Kia, commander of the U.S. Army Redstone Test Center. "This mission validates not only the technology, but the expertise of our workforce and our commitment to providing decision-quality information across the Department of War."

The U.S. Army Redstone Test Center is located on Redstone Arsenal and is a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command. RTC provides technical expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and capabilities to plan, conduct, analyze, and report the results of tests on missile and aviation systems, sensors, subsystems and components.