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USS Shiloh, JS Myoko Meet Press for Keen Sword

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS101210-14
12/10/2010

By Lt. j.g. Nelson Balido, USS Shiloh (CG 67) Public Affairs

MAIZURU, Japan (NNS) -- Members from the guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh and (CG 67) and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Commander, Escort Division 6 embarked aboard the Japanese destroyer JS Myoko (DDG 175) to deliver a message to the media about the importance of the biennial Keen Sword exercise Dec. 6.

Shiloh's Commanding Officer Capt. Matthew E. Loughlin and JMSDF Capt. Takaki Mizuma discussed the logistics behind the ballistic missile defense (BMD) portion of the exercise.

"Information sharing is the key to mission success, we are well into our exercise, and I am happy to say that communication could not be better," said Mizuma.

The exercise is conducted to expand on an already long standing policy of information sharing and to the test the sustainability and coordination of the information.

"There is no question that we could not do this alone," said Loughlin, "The real value of Keen Sword for us is building the teamwork that enhances the defensive network for the protection of our homelands from those that threaten it."

Exercises such as Keen Sword provide an indispensible training environment for enhancing mutual understanding of each country's tactics, communication protocols, procedures and general interoperability.

When the press conference concluded, Shiloh and Myoko joined the gudided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and the Japanese destroyer JS Kurama (DDH 144) in the Sea of Japan to conduct BMD joint training and the coordination portion of the bilateral exercise.

Keen Sword 2011 is designed to strengthen Japan Self Defense Force and U.S. military interoperability. Tenth in a series of joint/bilateral exercises since 1986, the exercise will include participation by units from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps coordinating training with their Japan Self Defense Force counterparts at military installations throughout mainland Japan, the island of Okinawa and in the waters surrounding Japan.

Shiloh is conducting BMD and surface warfare readiness training, communications and data link drills and subject matter expert exchanges during the course of the seven-day exercise.

Shiloh is assigned to Commander Task Force 70 and is forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.