Keen Edge forges bilateral cooperation

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  • By TSgt Shane A. Cuomo
  • Air Force Print News
Hickam Air Force Base --  Approximately 300 Airmen and six Japan Air Self Defense Force liaison officers are participating in the bilateral command post exercise Keen Edge 07 here. The 13th Air Force is conducting its part of the annual weeklong joint bilateral exercise to increase combat readiness and interoperability with the JASDF. The U.S. Forces Japan-led exercise is design-ed to deter aggression, ensure the defense of Japan and protect common interests with in the Pacific Region. 

"This is a bilateral exercise to test and evaluate the treaty obligations that we have with our partners in Japan," said Col. Steven Ruehl, 13th AF chief of staff and acting commander for Air Force forces, Keen Edge 07. "One of the big things we get out of Keen Edge is the opportunity to think about operations in Japan supporting those bilateral treaty obligations." 

"The U.S. and Japan bilateral coordination is very important," said Lt. Col. Yoshihiro Nakatani, Japan Air Self Defense Force liaison officer. "We cannot each keep peace by ourselves, so the international treaty (1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security) is very important," he said. 

As the designated theater Joint Force Air Component Command, the exercise allows the 13th AF to test and refine processes in that role. Because the exercise is a command post exercise utilizing computer simulation of force employment much of the air component work is handled at the 613th Air and Space Operation Center (AOC), which is also known as the Maj. Richard Bong AOC. 

"A command post exercise is very economical in today's day of financial constraints that we have. We can't just fly planes when ever we want," said Col. Michael Boera, 613th AOC commander and acting Joint Force Air Component commander.
Activated as the 613th AOC on Oct. 6, 2006, the Maj. Richard Bong AOC is the heart of the exercise. It serves as the execution arm of the fight, exercising the command and control and command post piece of the air defense of Japan. It is responsible for developing the air tasking orders that will tell pilots and Airmen in the region what they need to do. 

Working with the Japanese liaison officers on integration and interoperability, AOC personnel will also learn how to integrate each country's forces to respond to contingency operations, natural disasters and humanitarian efforts. 

"We are able to get through that command and control piece and many of the procedures by exercises such as this. It is very valuable to both the bilateral partner that we are working with and to use here in the AOC," said Col. Boera.
Exercises such as Keen Edge 07 develop U.S. and Japanese forces create and maintain a close working relationship that can be utilized in peace and during increased operational requirements. 

"Any time we can bring two members of the region together, it increases everyone's confidence and it displays a capability that meets both the commander Pacific Air Forces and commander U.S. Pacific Command objectives with regards to theater security cooperation," said Col. Ruehl.