Allied navies joined the US Navy and the US Missile Defense Agency to conduct the Pacific Dragon 2024(PD24) ballistic missile defence exercise from 29 July 29 to 13 August in waters around the Hawaiian Islands.
The Pacific Dragon series is hosted by the US Third Fleet and is a biennial exercise designed to improve participating forces’ ability to work together to track and intercept ballistic missiles. Participating forces conducted live-fire and simulated ballistic missile intercepts and tracking events with the goal of exercising, refining and improving their integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) capability in a coalition environment.
PD24 was the first to use a new and improved target called an Integrated Air and Missile Defense Target (IAMD-T). An IAMD-T is a semi-guided target designed to trigger and engage terminal ship defence combat systems, such as Standard Missile (SM)-2 and SM-6. The US Participating units and assets included the cruiser USS Shiloh, the destroyers USS Carl M. Levin and USS Kidd as well as a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft from the U.S. Navy and an MQ-9 Reaper from the 163rd Attack Wing of the California Air National Guard. The international particpants were the destroyer HMAS Sydney, a RAAF Wedgetail E-7A airborne early warning aircraft, the Italian offshore patrol vessel ITS Montecuccoli, the Japanese destroyer JS Haguro , the Korean destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I and Dutech frigate HNLMS Tromp.
The Commander, US Third Fleet, Vice Admiral John Wade, said, “Through exercises and engagements like Pacific Dragon, we improve system interoperability and tactical procedures with our allies and partners. Combined operations and Integrated Air and Missile Defense tracking and live-fire events improve our proficiency and contribute to maritime security.”
In its media release the US Navy said, “An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, US Third Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to execute our Navy’s role, in support of US Indo-Pacific Command and the joint force, across the full spectrum of military operations – from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. US Third Fleet works with allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security and a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Sources USN, RAN and JMSDF
