DVIDS:

The 613th Air Operations Center at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam can be a noisy place as U.S. service members pass information and orders to each other. Recently the sounds of “Hai!” could be heard as well in the AOC as Soldiers and members of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force took part in the Keen Edge 2016, Jan. 21-28.

“Keen Edge is the premier biennial exercise for the U.S. and Japan and is an important venue to increase bilateral planning and coordination between our two nations’ air and missile defense personnel,” said Lt. Col. Taku “Mars” Iyama, the Pacific Air Force Japan. Air Self-Defense Force liaison officer.

The exercise involved U.S. and Japanese personnel at the 613th AOC at JBPHH as well as at Yokota Airbase in Japan. The Sea Dragons from the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC) had personnel on duty 24 hours-a-day supporting the computer simulation driven exercise at both locations.

“The forward team at Yokota AB was critical for bilaterally coordinating air and missile defense operations with the 5th U.S. Air Force and the Japanese Air Defense Command,” said Maj. Juene Rader who served as a 94th AAMDC LNO in Japan during the exercise.

Equally as important as advancing cooperation with the JASDF was exercising the joint air and missile defense capabilities within the 613th AOC. Sea Dragon personnel worked with their Air Force, Marine and Naval counterparts in the AOC to plan and execute air and missile defense operations in support of the exercise.

“Keen Edge is a unique exercise that allows us to work important air and missile defense issues with both our Japanese allies and our joint partners in the AOC,” said Maj. Joel Bourne, a U.S. Air Force planner in the 613th Air Operations Center.

Some of the key issues that were focused on during the exercise were ballistic missile defense, non-combatant evacuation operations, force protection and airspace management planning.

“The exercise was a great opportunity to work with our counterparts and learn more about how their missile defense capabilities are integrated with our naval assets for the Defense of Japan mission,” said Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Bond, a U.S. Navy planner in the 613th Air Operations Center.

Lessons learned from Keen Edge 16 will be used to improve future battle plans and standard operating procedures between the United States and Japan.

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