Tag Archives: south korea

Japanese Officials: Washington and Tokyo Need More Ballistic Missile Defense Cooperation

Japanese Officials: Washington and Tokyo Need More Ballistic Missile Defense Cooperation

U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD), and U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) successfully conducted a flight test Feb. 3 (Hawaii Standard Time), resulting in the first intercept of a ballistic missile target using the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA off the west coast of Hawaii. For more information visit https://www.mda.mil. (U.S. Navy photo by Leah Garton/Released)

To counter immediate and growing North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile threats, three former Japanese ministers of defense said Tokyo needs to work with Washington to enhance ballistic missile defense capabilities to better defend itself and develop an effective counterstrike if attacked. Read More

Brookings Panel: Chinese Military Expansion Continues to Strain Relations with U.S.

Brookings Panel: Chinese Military Expansion Continues to Strain Relations with U.S.

Soldiers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army 1st Amphibious Mechanized Infantry Division in 2011. DoD Photo

While four national security experts were cautiously optimistic about the future of Chinese-American relations, the core problem between the two powers is Beijing’s continuing military expansion is threatening the United States’ ability to operate in the Pacific. Read More

PACOM: Carl Vinson CSG Can Defend Itself Against Anything North Korea Fires At It

PACOM: Carl Vinson CSG Can Defend Itself Against Anything North Korea Fires At It

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) transits the Philippine Sea while conducting a bilateral exercise with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. US Navy Photo

U.S. Pacific Command commander Adm. Harry Harris said the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group can “absolutely” defend itself against anything North Korea could shoot at it, despite media reports to the contrary. Read More

Super Hornet from USS Carl Vinson Crashes Near the Philippines, Pilot Safe

Super Hornet from USS Carl Vinson Crashes Near the Philippines, Pilot Safe

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from the “Kestrels” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137 takes off from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on April 10, 2017. US Navy Photo

This post has been updated with additional information from U.S. Pacific Fleet.

An F/A-18E Super Hornet on approach to land on aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) crashed on Friday near the Philippines, Navy officials told USNI News. Read More

International F-35 Symposium Gathers Operators To Plan Future Collaboration in Pacific

International F-35 Symposium Gathers Operators To Plan Future Collaboration in Pacific

An F-35 Lightning II stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., departs the runway during the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition (AVALON) on March 4, 2017, in Geelong, Australia. US Air Force photo.

This post has been updated to include information from U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific.

Current and future F-35 Joint Strike Fighter operators met this week to discuss plans for leveraging the fifth-generation airplane in the Pacific. Read More

Carrier USS Carl Vinson to Arrive in South Korea Today

Carrier USS Carl Vinson to Arrive in South Korea Today

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), background, transits the East China Sea with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Murasame-class destroyer JS Samidare (DD-106) on March 9, 2017. US Navy Photo

American aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is set to arrive in South Korea today to join in joint exercises with the Republic of Korea armed forces, U.S. officials told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More