[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 81 (Monday, May 15, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E439-E441]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO VICE ADMIRAL JON A. HILL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG LAMBORN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 15, 2023

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following 
Proclamation in tribute to Vice Admiral Jon A. Hill.
  Whereas, on the occasion of his retirement from the United States 
Navy, I wish to recognize Vice Admiral Jon A. Hill for nearly four 
decades of military service to this great nation. In his most recent 
assignment as the Director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Vice 
Admiral Hill made significant contributions to the successful 
development and fielding of a layered Missile Defense System in order 
to protect the U.S. homeland, deployed U.S. forces, our allies, and 
international partners. The significance of his contributions to the 
Nation's defense is powerfully highlighted as we witness the ever more 
aggressive development of offensive ballistic missile capabilities by 
our adversaries and the spread of increasingly diverse missile threats, 
to include maneuvering and hypersonic threats.
  Whereas, prior to coming to MDA, Vice Admiral Hill distinguished 
himself during his first Flag Officer tour as Program Executive Officer 
(PEO) for Integrated Warfare Systems. In this role, he was accountable 
for developing and certifying the deployment of all surface ship combat 
control systems, radars, missiles, launchers, electronic warfare, naval 
gunnery systems, and surface and subsurface anti-submarine warfare 
mission capabilities within the Fleet and joint force. He held several 
other high-profile leadership and acquisition engineering positions, 
including Aegis Shipbuilding (PMS 400), Naval Surface Warfare Center 
(NSWC) Dahlgren Division and Port Hueneme Division, and PEO Theater 
Surface Combatants. He also served on the Assistant Secretary of the 
Navy staff for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RD&A).
  Whereas, I would like to make special note that, Vice Admiral Hill, 
having previously served as Deputy Director for nearly three years, 
came into the Director position recognizing the need for significant 
updates to the Agency's mission, organization, and processes in order 
to position the Department on a path to counter advanced ballistic, 
hypersonic and maneuvering missile threats. During his tour as MDA 
Director, the Department of Defense made significant progress in 
addressing current and emerging ballistic and hypersonic missile 
threats by fielding, upgrading, integrating, and improving missile 
defenses to provide U.S. Combatant Commands and the Services a highly 
effective missile defense capability to defend the United States and 
its deployed troops, allies, and international partners around the 
world. He implemented a clear strategy focusing on increasing 
capability and capacity of fielded missile defense systems and making 
measured investments in advanced technologies, balancing rapid 
development and fielding of capabilities with leap-ahead technologies 
for the future system.
  Whereas, to meet the rising threats to national security, Vice 
Admiral Hill focused the urgency of the Agency on homeland defense, to 
include the defense of Guam, and countering hypersonic missiles. For 
four years, Vice Admiral Hill pursued a strategy to improve the 
reliability, enhance the discrimination capability, and expand the 
battlespace of U.S. homeland missile defenses. In response to the 
growing North Korean ICBM threat, in 2021, he oversaw the completion of 
Initial Fielding for the Long-Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) at 
Clear Space Force Station in Alaska and planned delivery of the highly 
advanced homeland defense radar to the Space Force for operational 
acceptance in 2023. Once operational, LRDR will support the Ground-
based Midcourse Defense (GMO) capability against Pacific theater long-
range missile threats, improving homeland missile defenses against an 
increasingly dangerous North Korean threat.
  Whereas, under Vice Admiral Hill's guidance and leadership, he 
oversaw improvements to homeland defense and delivered new interceptor 
capabilities. Vice Admiral Hill ensured

[[Page E440]]

that the Ground Based Interceptor fleet underwent a much-needed Service 
Life Extension Program to improve reliability and availability, a 
critical activity that has been of great interest to this Congress. 
With these ongoing efforts and Vice Admiral Hill's persistent attention 
to this activity, the existing interceptor fleet will be extended 
beyond 2030. If these efforts were not enough, in 2021, the Agency also 
demonstrated an advanced booster that enables an earlier release of the 
kill vehicle to greatly expand the engagement area and time to counter 
the inbound threat. He also upgraded the homeland defense ground system 
infrastructure, communications network, fire control system, and 
missile fields at Fort Greely, Alaska to improve the reliability, 
capability, and cybersecurity resiliency of the GMO weapon system and 
support acceptance of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI). With his 
eye on the missile challenges of the future, Vice Admiral Hill oversaw 
the award of two NGI contracts in March 2021 to rapidly advance the 
development process to deliver this new capability as soon as possible.
  Whereas, recognizing the growth in the hypersonic missile threat, 
Vice Admiral Hill increased focus on new tracking sensor and 
interceptor programs. He oversaw development of the Hypersonic and 
Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program to deliver satellites 
to track hypersonic and ballistic missiles that will work together with 
other Space Force missile tracking satellites also under development in 
the Defense Department. He diligently ensured MDA continued to work 
closely with the Space Force to implement his vision of making the 
HBTSS a part of the overall satellite constellation for defeating the 
global maneuvering threat.
  Whereas, Vice Admiral Hill also championed the development of an 
Aegis Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) capability to leverage the existing 
and future space- and terrestrial-based sensors, Command and Control, 
Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC), and proven Aegis engage-
on-remote technology. In his pursuit of a layered defense capability 
against the hypersonic threat, he saw the benefit of Aegis GPI working 
together with Sea Based Terminal (SBT) defenses. With SBT Increment 2 
already deployed, he pushed for the SBT Increment 3 upgrade for 
delivery in 2024 to expand capability to defeat multiple advanced 
maneuvering threats.
  Whereas, given the evolving regional threat to Guam from China and 
others, Vice Admiral Hill also moved quickly to address a requirement 
identified by U.S. Inda-Pacific Command for a persistent 360-degree 
layered missile defense capability on Guam, a strategically important 
forward base for the United States. He steered the Agency, with 
collaboration from the U.S. Army and Navy, in the development of a 
defensive architecture to improve the defense of Guam. He put the 
Agency on the road to developing the AN/TPY-6 radar to provide 
persistent long-range midcourse discrimination, precision tracking, 
missile engagements, and hit assessment to protect Guam and the Aegis 
Guam System from engaging missile threats.
  Whereas, during his four years as Director, Vice Admiral Hill also 
continued improvements in the Command and Control, Battle Management 
and Communications (C2BMC) infrastructure, which provides persistent 
acquisition, tracking, cueing, discrimination, and fire-control quality 
data to Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), GMD, Terminal High 
Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), and Patriot, and for coalition partners 
to support homeland and regional missile defense. In response to a 
request by the Commander of U.S. Forces, Korea, he oversaw delivery of 
a THAAD Remote Launcher capability in FY 2020 to increase the THAAD 
defended area and improve defense against specific regional threat 
concerns. He also directed the development for a Patriot Launch-on-
Remote capability with THAAD, which was fielded in October 2022. This 
increased Patriot-defended area and engagement opportunities by 
allowing the Army's Missile Segment Enhanced (MSE) Interceptor to 
leverage the THAAD AN/TPY-2 Radar.
  Whereas, the fielding of the THAAD 4.0 Region Specific system build 
enabled the integration of the Army's MSE interceptor and M903 launcher 
with the THAAD Weapon System, and MDA personnel and equipment needed to 
execute this upgrade by moving it to the U.S. IndoPacific Command 
Theater in September 2022. This capability was so successful, the Army 
asked that it be deployed to other regions.
  Whereas, Vice Admiral Hill guided program plans to strengthen 
regional defenses by continuing deliveries of Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) 
Block IBs and SM-3 Block IIAs for use on Aegis BMD ships and at Aegis 
Ashore-Romania. He also continued advancement of the Aegis BMD system 
in collaboration with the Navy to counter growing and more complex 
threats, including improvements in system and missile reliability as 
well as increases in Aegis BMD engagement capacity and lethality, 
including work on the Aegis Weapon System, Aegis Ashore-Poland, the SM-
3 Block IIA program, and Sea Based Terminal defense. He also 
accomplished a critical milestone for Aegis BMD by demonstrating in the 
November 2020 the capability of an Aegis BMD-equipped vessel to defeat 
an ICBM-class target using the advanced SM-3 Block IIA missile 
interceptor developed in partnership with Japan.
  Whereas, Vice Admiral Hill oversaw the construction of the Aegis 
Ashore system in Poland to support European Phased Adaptive Approach 
(EPAA) Phase 3 and improve European NATO defenses against medium- and 
intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Vice Admiral Hill approved a 
Technical Capability Declaration in February 2023 in advance of 
acceptance by the Chief of Naval Operations of the site and US/NATO 
operational validation. He oversaw the retirement of Aegis Ballistic 
Missile Defense (BMD) 3.6.x from the U.S. Navy fleet after decades of 
successful operational deployment and the upgrade of Aegis BMD ships to 
the latest software and level of capability. He pushed for 
collaboration with the Navy to give BMD-equipped ships the capability 
to simultaneously perform both operations against ballistic missiles 
and anti-air warfare operations against aircraft and anti-ship cruise 
missiles. Vice Admiral Hill also spearheaded the software upgrades to 
Aegis missile defense destroyers equipped with the SPY-1 radar to 
support the Space Force Space Domain Awareness mission.
  Whereas, Vice Admiral Hill demonstrated a commitment to expand work 
with U.S. international partners, to include conducting joint analyses 
to support partner missile defense acquisition decisions, cooperative 
research and development projects, deploying BMD assets, Foreign 
Military Sales, and co-production efforts. He pushed for investments by 
U.S. allies and partners in their own missile defense capabilities to 
enable them to build more effective regional security architectures 
that complement U.S. regional missile defense capabilities.
  Whereas, Vice Admiral Hill consistently advocated for investments in 
technology today to defeat tomorrow's threat, and he encouraged pursuit 
of several efforts in the Agency's Advanced Technology program by 
adopting an integrated, strategic Science and Technology (ST) approach 
to identify, develop. and transition key enabling technologies to the 
Missile Defense System and the Warfighter. Vice Admiral Hill sought to 
enhance current kinetic kill capabilities with directed energy and 
other non-kinetic solutions to keep pace with the volume and complexity 
of threats, and to work with OSD and the Services to develop the 
technologies to support the development and integration of lasers and 
high-power microwave systems.
  Whereas, we are grateful that Vice Admiral Hill guided the Agency 
through the COVID-19 pandemic by encouraging flexible telework policies 
and continuing the push for superior information technology equipment 
needed to support the maximum telework posture. He brought the Agency 
out of the pandemic by shifting the workforce posture to what he called 
``Workplace Next,'' which is designed to provide flexibilities with 
work options and improved quality of life for MDA personnel. His 
``Stellar Team, Noble Mission'' motto energized a geographically 
dispersed MDA workforce.
  Whereas, Vice Admiral Hill demonstrated superior leadership, 
extraordinary dedication, and exceptional professionalism as the key 
interface between the Agency and OSD, Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, 
Services and Military Departments, the Department of State, and 
international partners. He was also instrumental in developing a very 
successful Congressional engagement strategy to support the Agency's 
on-going programs and plans. Vice Admiral Hill's vision, persistence in 
pursuit of excellence, and leadersl1jp greatly enhanced the Missile 
Defense Agency's ability to develop and expand a truly global missile 
defense capability.
  Whereas, during Vice Admiral Hill's tenure as the Director of the 
Missile Defense Agency, the Department of Defense made significant 
progress in fielding missile defense capabilities to defend the nation, 
its armed forces, and our international partners. Vice Admiral Hill 
reorganized, reformed, and reinvigorated MDA in the execution of its 
core mission developing missile defenses to counter advanced threats to 
our Nation, our deployed forces, and our international partners. He 
established a new leadership team to improve development, delivery, and 
support to the warfighter. He also resolved systemic cultural and 
process issues between programs and functional support organizations 
enabling the workforce to function adeptly as one MDA team.
  Proclaimed, that I, Congressman Lamborn and the 5th Congressional 
District of Colorado shall commemorate Vice Admiral Hill as he prepares 
to retire from a highly commendable career of military service and wish 
him Fair Winds and Following Seas.

[[Page E441]]

  

                          ____________________