The 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment (3-4 ADA) / "Three-Quarter ADA" / 3/4 ADA served as the airborne air defense battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, providing paratroopers with vital protection from aircraft, helicopters, rockets, and drones from the Cold War through Iraq and Afghanistan. With its motto “Audacia”—Boldness—the unit was central to the 82nd’s rapid deployment capability before being inactivated in recent Army restructuring. Airborne Apparel Company is proud to offer reproductions and unique designs that celebrate the legacy of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.
The 3rd Battalion, 4th ADA carried the lineage of one of the Army’s oldest artillery regiments and became an airborne-designated air defense unit within the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. Known as the division’s airborne ADA battalion, 3-4 ADA specialized in short-range air defense, parachuting in with infantry and artillery to establish coverage immediately upon airborne insertion.
Operations with the 82nd
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Cold War Readiness: Maintained continuous deployment readiness as the only airborne ADA battalion in the U.S. Army, prepared to jump with the 82nd worldwide.
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Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, 1983): Provided short-range air defense during the airborne assault, securing freedom of movement for paratroopers.
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Operation Just Cause (Panama, 1989): Deployed with the 82nd in the seizure of key objectives in Panama City and surrounding airfields.
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Operation Desert Storm (1991): Defended 82nd positions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait against possible Iraqi air attack, reinforcing the XVIII Airborne Corps’ defense.
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Global War on Terror:
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Iraq and Afghanistan: Transitioned to include counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) missions and counter-drone operations, shielding airborne bases and patrols.
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NATO & Europe Deployments: Recently supported European deterrence operations, deploying to Poland and Eastern Europe to bolster NATO air defense.
Organizational Transition
As the Army reorganized air defense to meet modern drone and missile threats, 3-4 ADA was inactivated, with its Soldiers, mission sets, and equipment rolled into the 1st Battalion, 7th ADA Regiment (SHORAD) and other emerging formations. This marked the end of the 3-4 ADA flag within the 82nd Airborne Division, though its airborne ADA legacy remains part of division history.
Identity & Legacy
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Motto: “Audacia” (“Boldness”)
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Distinctive Role: The only dedicated airborne-qualified ADA battalion in the Army for decades.
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Nickname/Heritage: Known informally as the “Airborne ADA” of the 82nd.
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Legacy: A unit that gave the All Americans protection against threats above—from Soviet aircraft in the Cold War to drones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Enduring Significance
The inactivation of 3rd Battalion, 4th ADA marked the end of an era for the 82nd Airborne Division. Its paratroopers ensured that America’s premier rapid-deployment division was shielded against airborne attack across every major contingency of the past four decades.
Airborne Apparel Company is proud to offer reproductions and unique designs that celebrate the legacy of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.