Exercise Valiant Shield: An 18,000 Personnel, 200 aircraft, and 2 Carrier Strike Group #War Rehearsal Valiant Shield is a biennial exercise that started in 2006 that has consistently put enough hardware together to rival most nations’ militaries. These collective events take place just off the beaches of Guam and around the #Marianas Island Range Complex. The Yokosuka-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington and the San Diego-based carrier USS Vinson will participate in Valiant Shield with their respective strike groups and air wings. Having two carrier strike groups operating in one flotilla is a rare display of America’s power. And that display of power does not go unnoticed by our adversaries, i.e. #China, #Russia, and North #Korea. Guam is a US territory about 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii and 1,500 miles south of Tokyo, that has a major #US #Navy base as well as a large Air Base. The island plays an important role in Americas “Pacific Pivot” as it acts as a refueling point, submarine hub, launch point for nuclear capable bombers, and third line of defense in containing China. This year 19 ships, more than 200 aircraft, and approximately 18,000 personnel will participate in the drills that start on Monday and will last throughout the week. Even though this is primarily a naval exercise, service men from the Marines, Army, and Air Force will participate in what amounts to a major war rehearsal. The Pentagon sent the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD), operated by the Army, to test out its ability to intercept missiles during the exercise. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense element completed a successful intercept of a ballistic missile target at the Pacific Missile Range Facility off the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved. #THAAD is a mobile system now in development designed to intercept short to medium range ballistic missiles. Soldiers of the 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conducted launcher, fire control and radar operations, using tactics, techniques and procedures developed by the U.S. #Army Air Defense School. Learn more at mda.mil/system/thaad.html. #THAAD was originally stationed on Guam to intercept missiles potentially fired from North Korea or #China to take out Andersen Air Base’s runways on Guam. “High-level, joint training among U.S. military forces ensures the U.S. military remains the pre-eminent military power in the region, capable of honoring its security commitments to allies, partners, and friends,”?—?U.S. Pacific Air Forces spokeswoman Capt. Susan Harrington Service men have already started to make videos in anticipation of Valiant shield. The #US militarys presence in the #Pacific is now needed more than ever. Requiring to use its strategically valuable bases more frequently in order to maintain free trade in the Pacific ocean and to put regional bullies in their place. The #US is continuing to develop regional and global power projection capabilities through exercises like Valiant Shield. As well as its interoperability between the major services to complete any objective in the future. via #AseanMilitaryDefenseReview
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 15:50:15 +0000
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