Pacific Daily News (Hagatna, Guam) November 20, 2003
Guam's skies provide edge for air forces' joint training
By Gene Park
Japanese and U.S. military have been sharing airspace for the past week, training against and with each other in bilateral cooperation exercises.
The Cope North Exercise 04-1 is the fifth cooperative training exercise held on Guam involving the U.S. Air Force and Marines, and troops and aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Based at Andersen Air Force Base Yigo, both militaries engage in practice scenarios involving an exchange of tactics and information. More than 500 U.S. personnel from U.S. bases in Kadena, Yokota and Iwakuni are on island until tomorrow, along with more than 200 personnel from the JASDF 83rd Wing from Okinawa.
Lift for economy
Besides the valuable training, the exercise also is a boost to the local economy. About 100 JASDF personnel and 300 U.S. Air Force personnel are being housed in various hotels around the island, said 1st Lt. Michael Cumberworth, public affairs officer of the Yokota Air Base.
Lt. Gen. Thomas Waskow, commander of the U.S. Forces in Japan, said the exercise is a win-win situation for both forces. He looks forward to training again on Guam.
Capt. Wes Smith, an F-15 Eagle pilot from Kadena Air Base, said the airspace over Guam, which is about three times bigger than Okinawa's, is ideal for the large scale exercise involving more than 40 aircraft.
"On Guam we're able to train to every type of scenario with every type of aircraft available," Smith said. "Through this, we can know the best way to employ with the Japanese forces, knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses."
U.S. aircraft involved in the exercise are the E-3B Sentry AWACS, F-18 Hornets and EA-6B Prowlers. JASDF aircraft involved are the E-767 AWACS and the F-4 Super Phantom, deployed for the first time overseas, military officials said.
Role playing
"Whatever you do, the training will involve some kind of role playing," Smith said. "We would task some planes to play the bad guys, or red air, and others as good guys, the blue air."
Smith said other scenarios include the Super Phantoms providing cover for the Hornets, or Prowlers jamming radars.
Radar jamming and electronic warfare cannot be practiced in Japanese airspace because of restrictions on bandwidth, said JASDF Col. Mitsuhiro Kohno. Available airspace for Cope North extends 100 miles north of Saipan.
"This airspace is a huge area," Kohno said. "Also, there are no altitude restrictions here like there is in Japan."
During U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's recent visit to Japan, Okinawa's governor had asked him about the possibility of downsizing the U.S. military presence on Okinawa. Officials cited a petition addressing concerns including environmental concerns, aircraft noise and use of low-frequency sonar by U.S. submarines, an Associated Press report stated.
Rumsfeld said the U.S. government is conducting a global review of base commitments.
TO THE POINT
Japanese and U.S. air forces are training together in a two-week cooperative exercise that takes advantage of Guam's large airspace.
ON THE NET
GlobalSecurity.org: www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ops/cope-north.htm
U.S. Air Force: www.af.mil
P.J. Borja/For Pacific Daily News
Bilateral exercise: After flying the F-15 Eagle behind him, Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas Waskow, right, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force Lt. Gen. Kunihiro Oda answer questions from the media.
P.J. Borja/For Pacific Daily News
Fighter jet: With Air Force Airman Joseph Dombrowski assisting, Japan Air Self-Defense Force Tech. Sgt. Norihiro Matsumoto locks down a fuel hose to the connection on an F-15 Eagle. JASDF personnel familiarized themselves with the U.S. fighter jet to prepare it for flight in the event U.S. aircraft would have to land or take off from a Japan air base.
© Copyright 2003, Pacific Daily News (Hagatna, Guam)
