On August 2, 2010 the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced they would hold a joint cooperative air defense exercise with the Russian Federation Air Force (http://www.norad.mil/News/2010/080210.html). This is the first ever air defense exercise between Russia and NORAD and will include U.S., Canadian, and Russian participants operating from command centers at Elmendorf Air Force Base and Khabarovsk, Russia. The exercise is named Vigilant Eagle and will be held from 8-11 August.
The NORAD announcement stated the “exercise is authorized under a cooperative military agreement signed by the presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States of America. The agreement tasks NORAD, the bi-national U.S. and Canadian command, and the Russian Federation Air Force to conduct a live-fly exercise for up to five days”.
The exercise has a terrorist theme. The premise is a U.S. commercial aircraft has been taken over by terrorists. According to NORAD, the exercise “will consist of two international flights: one originating in Alaska and traveling to the Far East followed by one originating in the Far East and traveling to Alaska”. NORAD and Russia will practice shadowing the flights with fighter aircraft.
The significance to me is even though there are still areas of disagreement like missile defense; there is a continuing thaw in U.S. and Russian military to military relations. It is especially ironic when you recall during the Cold War, NORAD’s primary mission was to defend North America against an attack from the former Soviet Union. The theme from the old TV show Twilight Zone is currently running around in my head. What’s next, Russian joining NATO? Actually, I don’t think that’s such a bad idea. I’m not saying forget such events like the 2008 invasion of Georgia or the probable 2007 Russian cyber attack against Estonia; but, if we truly want to hit the “reset” button with that nation, NATO membership should be considered as an option.
There was one other item concerning the Russian military that jumped out at me this week. The Russians announced they will be modernizing their maintenance and supply site in Tartus, Syria. The port was a major part of the Soviet Navy support system during the Cold War and has fallen into disrepair. Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky stated, “Tartus will be developed as a naval base and modernization will be completed in 2012”. The intent is to have it serve as a base for cruisers and possibly aircraft carriers.
This is part of the announced Russian plan to rebuild their Navy. During the Soviet era, their Navy was one of the most powerful in the world. Russia also maintains its Black Sea Fleet in the Ukraine and has signed an agreement with that nation “extending the lease on the Sevatopol base for 25 years after the current lease expires in 2017” (http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100609/159359739.html). I’m sure I’ll be blogging more about this in the future.
The Pacific region continues to be interesting. Yesterday, South Korea announced they will be conducting a five day anti submarine exercise in the Yellow Sea (http://app.yonhapnews.co.kr/YNA/Basic/Article/Print/YIBW_showEnArticlePrintView.aspx?contents_id=AEN20100803008100315). The “drill will involve 10 ships including a 4,500 ton destroyer and a 1,800-ton submarine, as well as KF-15/16 fighter jets and anti-submarine aircraft”.
North Korea is doing their usual trash talk threatening a “physical retaliation” (http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm). Last week they were threatening a nuclear retaliation against the joint U.S. / South Korean exercise in the Sea of Japan. This week’s threat is toned down a notch. No word on if any U.S. units will participate in the exercise. The next scheduled joint U.S./South Korea exercise is Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2010 (UFG 10). The U.S. commander in the region, General Walter Sharp, stated, “UFG 10 is the first exercise since President Lee and President Obama announced the decision to delay the transition of wartime operational control until late 2015. UFG 10 represents an excellent opportunity to develop the tenets of our Strategic Alliance 2015 plans as we improve ROK/U.S. combat readiness and joint/combined interoperability” (http://www.usfk.mil/usfk/Uploads/100/SharpPoint21-10UlchiFreedomGuardian10.pdf).
China is conducting a five day airborne exercise called Vanguard 2010 in a region which borders the Yellow Sea. A BBC news report quoted a Chinese army run Military weekly newspaper which “said the exercises though ‘low key’, carried a message. ‘If other people threaten our interests, we have enough military means and technological methods to keep them in check,’ the newspaper said”. As mentioned in an earlier blog, China has protested recent U.S./South Korean exercises in the region. It’s getting really interesting.
That about does it for me. I volunteer at the local college radio station. Have to head out now to do a radio show. As always my views are my own. I’ll be writing a blog finishing up my series on the Afghanistan COIN strategy in the next few days.
