The Pacific Integrated Air and Missile Defense Center officially commenced operations here Oct. 1, culminating a vision shared by military leaders in the Asia-Pacific region to increase multinational integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) capabilities in the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) area of responsibility.

Similar to the already established European and Central Command IAMD Centers, the Pacific center is designed to be a joint and multinational organization that educates and trains military and partner nation IAMD operators and planners.

One of the key objectives is to incorporate IAMD professionals from partner nations into the center to improve the joint and multinational operational warfighting capability within the Pacific AOR.

"In order to succeed in IAMD, we must offset fewer resources with more innovation to develop and maintain an affordable, integrated, interdependent joint and combined approach ready to answer the nation's call -- anytime, anywhere," said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey in his Joint IAMD Vision 2020.

Once fully operational, the center's mission will be to increase joint and multinational IAMD capability, interoperability, integration and knowledge through four primary concepts: standardizing academics and education of IAMD professionals across the Pacific; conducting IAMD training events and exercises focused on theater issues; fostering multinational partnerships through IAMD seminars, exercises and information sharing events; and disseminating joint and multinational doctrine, tactics, techniques, procedures, and lessons learned.

The commander of USPACOM has delegated operational and administrative control of the Pacific IAMD Center to the Area Air Defense Commander Gen. Lori J. Robinson, the Pacific Air Forces commander.

Robinson has acknowledged the significance of IAMD in the Pacific theater by listing it as one of her top priorities upon taking command of PACAF, affirming she wants to "expand engagement, increase combat capability and improve warfighter integration to achieve success in IAMD."

Her initial cadre of IAMD planners oversees center operations and stands ready to improve regional security and integrated air and missile defense capabilities, as well as offset anti-access and area denial efforts through the use of integrated joint and combined operations and updated command and control.