31 August 2017 Wasp Departs to be Forward Deployed to Japan NORFOLK -- Amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) departed for Sasebo, Japan, Aug. 30, where it will assume duties as the forward-deployed flagship of the amphibious force of the U.S. 7th Fleet.The shift will introduce an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter-capable amphibious assault ship to the...
31 August 2017 Northern Viper 17 Comes To An End MISAWA AIR BASE, AOMORI, JAPAN -- For the past three weeks, Misawa Air Base, Japan, hosted U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing during Northern Viper 2017 (NV17), an annual joint contingency exercise that tests the interoperability and bilateral capability of the Japan Self-Defense Force...
31 August 2017 Sumos Soar Home: VMGR-152 Conducts Air Delivery with 1st Special Forces Group MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- U.S. Marines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 departed Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, upon completion of unit-level training Evergreen and headed home to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 28, 2017.The...
30 August 2017 USS John Paul Jones Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System Intercepts Target Missile KAUAI, Hawaii (NNS) -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and U.S. Navy sailors aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) successfully conducted a complex missile defense flight test, resulting in the intercept of a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) target using Standard Missile (SM) 6 guided missiles...
30 August 2017 Japan Air Self-Defense Force Conducts Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Japan Air Self-Defense Force 2nd Air Defense Missile Group conducted Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) deployment training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 29, 2017.PAC-3 is a surface-to-air missile defense system, which provides a...
30 August 2017 Annual Full-scale Exercise Provides U.S. Army Garrison Japan with Opportunities to Use Skills CAMP ZAMA, Japan -- U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Japan conducted its annual full-scale exercise Aug. 21-24 on Camp Zama and other installations, including Sagami General Depot, Sagamihara Family Housing Area and Yokohama North Dock.USAG Japan Garrison Commander Col. Phillip K. Gage said the full-scale...
30 August 2017 USS Ashland Arrives in Guam for Voyage Repair Availability during Indo-Asia-Pacific Deployment APRA HARBOR, Guam -- The amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Guam Aug. 29, as part of a scheduled voyage repair availability (VRAV).The VRAV comes as Ashland, forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan, fulfills a multi-month...
30 August 2017 Secretary Tillerson's Calls with Japanese and Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers Washington, DC -- The following is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:Secretary Tillerson spoke on separate calls with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha to discuss North Korea’s launch of a missile that overflew Japan.They...
30 August 2017 Misawa Load Competition Challenges Weapons Airmen Readiness MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- The brash horn ricochets off hangar bay concrete walls alerting two three-person weapons load crews to begin the race to meet each required objective—speed, cleanliness, but most importantly, safety— while weapons experts evaluated them at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Aug...
29 August 2017 Exercise Tropic Agile Combat Employment Tests Rapid Deployment Capabilities JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Airmen from the 36th Contingency Response Group, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and the 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan, are exercising the ability to conduct rapid deployment operations during Exercise Tropic ACE Aug. 28 - Sept. 15, 2017.Tropic ACE was...