The Pacific Integrated Air and Missile Defense Center hosted its second annual Multilateral Subject Matter Expert Exchange and Defense Design Workshop on 21 thru 26, October 2024, at Fort Bliss located in El Paso, Texas.
This groundbreaking event, supported by the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Pacific Air Forces, 32nd AAMDC, and the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, brought together air and missile defense operators, command and control professionals, and subject matter experts from 11 North American, Asia-Pacific, and European Nations. Participants included joint representatives from Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States.
The central focus of the Subject Matter Expert Exchange was the collaboration between the U.S. and Canada in defending their homelands; the response to the growing threat of small unmanned aerial systems (UAS); and the capability to protect against the small UAS. Additional discussions examined NATO’s role in air and missile defense. Key U.S. organizations in attendance included the 225th Air Defense Squadron from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Joint Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office, the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Lockheed Martin, each contributing valuable insights and expertise.
Throughout the event, participants aimed to enhance their understanding of regional and global air and missile defense challenges. Key topics included current threats and lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine. A significant objective was developing a Critical Asset List and a Defended Asset List, tools intended to strengthen defense strategies. The number one objective was to build connections among the like-minded nations, as well as establishing a rich environment for open collaboration, exchange of perspective & concerns, and sharing regional Air Surveillance and Missile Defense visions.
Colonel Ryan Schrock, Deputy Commander of the 32nd AAMDC, emphasized the necessity of cooperation, stating, “With the current nature of warfare, we can’t go alone.” He stressed “the key is controlling escalation” and encouraged participants to “be proactive and force the enemy off plan.”
To put their strategies into practice, participants engaged in a simulation involving a fictional scenario pitting a notional alliance against a theoretical U.S. near-peer threat. This exercise offered valuable insights into information sharing and highlighted the benefits of a unified defense strategy. Each group’s defenses were evaluated using the SMARTSet tool, which provided immediate assessment of their defense design effectiveness.
The event concluded with participants an opportunity to observe a Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces and Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces live-fire exercise at McGregor Range, New Mexico. This year’s Japanese live-fire marked the 60th anniversary as well as, further integrated training by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and U.S. Army, in additional showcasing the enduring commitment to collaborative defense efforts.
Colonel Matthew Belote, the PIC Director noted, “These multilateral events cannot be understated. The ability to bring our Allies and Partners together to work through scenarios provides them different perspectives on how to implement Integrated Air and Missile Defense. Future conflicts more
than likely will not be fought unilaterally, so the more we work together today, the better we are all prepared for a potential conflict tomorrow!”
