March 3rd marked the end of a 12 day exercise in and off the coast of Israel that included a total of 3,700 troops made up of U.S. and Israeli Defense Forces that exercised the ballistic missile defense of Israel and put in play all of the currently deployed missile defense systems and a few upcoming capabilities from both countries. The purpose and resolve of this particular biennial exercise named Juniper Cobra was to have complete synergy between all of the complex intercept systems, sensors, troops and commanders of the two different nations to properly and efficiently defend the state of Israel against heavy ballistic missile attacks. This very complex control and command structure that was exercised as well as its tremendous battle management and engagement of multiple threats simultaneously in air and in space defended by multiple systems from two different countries required the continuity and reliability of what only a United States Army Air and Missile Defense Command structure (AAMDC) can provide.
There are three U.S. AAMDCs in the world today: the 94th AAMDC for the Pacific, the 10th AAMDC for Europe and the 32nd AAMDC for the Middle East. Two of the three, the 94th and the 32nd are commanded by U.S. Army Brigadier Generals, the third the 10th is commanded by a U.S. Army Colonel. The U.S. AAMDC Commander reports to and advises the United States Air Force Air Commander of the region on the situational awareness of the incoming missile threats and the defensive capabilities to intercept those threats.
In what looks to be a response to this significant exercise by Israel and the United States, today March 8th, Iran and its Iranian Revolutionary Guard launched multiple short and medium range ballistic missiles in a military exercise. (Video) This clearly violated a United Nations Security Council Resolution and current U.S. sanctions against Iran for the testing and development of ballistic missiles.
In this significant Juniper Cobra exercise, amongst all of the missile defense systems used to include the Israel David Sling and future Arrow 3 systems was the simulation of the United States THAAD system that would have had a specific location for a THAAD battery deployment in Israel to provide an overarching persistent defense for all of Israel, both in space and in higher atmosphere. In a real fight to defend Israel, the THAAD battery would be flown in from Fort Bliss, Texas under the 32nd AAMDC where four THAAD Batteries are currently stationed.
With the current U.S./Korean talks of one THAAD battery in Korea, there are currently two deployed U.S. THAAD Batteries in regional theaters, one of the four THAAD batteries at Fort Bliss assigned to the Global Rapid Response Force, with the three remaining THAAD batteries in healthy crew rotation, preparation and training, providing a grand total of seven batteries. This limited amount of THAAD batteries leaves a much needed and demanded deployed second THAAD Battery in the Pacific Region as well as one deployed THAAD Battery in the European Theater. These two forward placed THAAD Batteries in Europe and the Pacific are for rapid response within their respective regions as well as persistency and presence in strategic deterrence for those regions. The United States Government had originally funded nine THAAD Batteries in U.S. Congress approved defense budgets to match the United States War Fighters and Operators requirements and intent as early as FY2011. Today, the United States Congress has only approved seven THAAD Batteries cutting two and leaving short the needed and stated requirements.
Today, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated, “Blind faith in sanctions and pressure, actually, are not a responsible approach for the future of the Korean peninsula.” The Chinese Foreign Minister can apply that exact same statement towards the United States for the future of Israel
