SOAR history

In September 1987, Night Stalkers participated in Operation Prime Chance, engaging and neutralizing an enemy threat while using aviator night vision goggles and forward-looking infrared devices over water, the first successful night combat engagement under these conditions.

The Night Stalker Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1988 and is organized under IRC 501(c)(19) as a Veterans' Organization.

The organization continued to grow and was officially activated as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) in June 1990.

In 1991, the reckless and senseless destruction of Kuwait was met by the swift introduction of Special Operations Aviation into the Southwest Asian Theater of Operations during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

SOAR has its roots in a Social Security Administration (SSA) funded demonstration project that started in Baltimore in 1993 and still continues today.

The final project development team was formed at the beginning of 1997.

Night Stalkers first deployed in support of the War on Terror in October 2001 for Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan, with a short period supporting OEF-Philippines.

The telescope structure was installed in only three months, becoming operational for a "first glimmer" using a 10-inch telescope bolted to the side of the elevation ring on 23 Oct 2002.

In spring 2003, the 160th deployed its first assets supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Hydra Meeting - August 23, 2004 Maintenance work between observing blocks Gripper Fixes

As the organization continued to mature to meet the Nation’s Special Operations Aviation requirements, the Regiment continued to grow and provisionally established its 4th Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington, in December 2005.

A new lateral support system which solved the problem was installed in Jun 2006, and regular science observations started Aug 2006.

Following the deactivation of E/160th on 31 July 2007, the USPACOM area of responsibility was handed over to 4th Battalion, which was formally activated in December 2007.

Spectroscopic single slit and imaging mode observations with this instrument started in late 2008.

In early 2010 the SPARTAN near-IR camera, built at Michigan State University was commissioned and started seeing regular scientific use.

Doctor Jay Elias (NSF´s NOIRLab) has been SOAR Director since August 2014.

Since 2018 the SOAR Integral Field Spectrograph (SIFS) has been offered to users on a regular basis, operated in campaign mode.