On Friday night in Yokosuka, Japan, in the aftermath of the North Korean long range ballistic missile test earlier that week, MDAA honored and recognized the crews of the six U.S. Aegis BMD ships and their mission. These ships are under the command of the United States 7th Fleet VADM Joey Aucoin and the four Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Kongo Class BMD ships are under the command of VADM Yasuhiro Shigeoka.
Bringing this very special and capable Naval Allied Ballistic Missile Defense Force together to be recognized as equal partners and contributors to the stability, defense and safety of Japan and the United States of America is a clear demonstration of unity of one team, one fight and excellence in leadership between both Navies and countries. This is especially timely and important to demonstrate collective resolve in recognition of excellence to defend and to deter against the ballistic missile threat from North Korea.
19 sailors and officers of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and the United States Navy were recognized individually and given the “game ball” and recognized as the world champions of 2016 for what they achieved in the past year and this past weekend. These sailors and officers work together as a missile defense team across the Pacific to provide real strength in their capacity to track, discriminate and have the capability to intercept and destroy incoming North Korean missiles that would threaten Japan and the United States of America.
In Japan, they are the world champions of 2016, and with the total confidence of knowing that if there was even the slightest deviation of course and any chance of debris fall out on the Japanese population from the North Korean long range ballistic missile flight test would of been shot down and successfully intercepted.
This very unique and special partnership in missile defense which dates back to a memorandum of understanding signed in 1994 with Japan that has progressed today to a joint partnership between the two Navies two include a total of 10 Aegis BMD Ships with shared SM-2 and SM-3 interceptors. The number of deployed ships and interceptor inventory will continue to grow in the near future to include a minimum to 15 Aegis BMD Ships with baseline 9 capabilities and the new jointly developed SM-3 Block IIA long range interceptors. With the North Korean ballistic missile threat continuing to modernize and develop with greater capabilities, the two Navies of Japan and the United States will likely invest in sharing SM-6 interceptors, U.S Navy NIFC-CA ship to ship links and supporting two or more Japanese Aegis Ashore sites deployed in Japan.
It is of one team and of one continual fight against the common threat of North Korea to prevent the threat of mass destruction to the Pacific region, Japan and the United States. This dynamic duo of Japan and the United States team has to expand to include other countries in the region most notably the Republic of Korea and to continue to include the integration of the joint military services of the Air Force, Army and the Marines to win and totally dominate this missile defense fight.
Congratulations to our World Champions in Japan.
