U.S. Army Bravo Battery, 1-1 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, and Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force’s 8th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group (AAGp), conducted simulated scenario missile defense on Camp Amami as part of Orient Shield 21-2. Both Bravo Battery and 8th AAGp have been conducting drills and other training to include movement, deployment, reload, and system reconfiguring, using both the U.S. Army MIM-104 Patriot Missile Reload System and the JGSDF’s Type 03 ChÅ«-SAM Missile Reload System.
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and derives its name from the radar component of the weapon system. The AN/MPQ-53 at the heart of the system is known as the “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target” which is a backronym for PATRIOT.
The Type 03 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile or SAM-4 or Chu-SAM is a Japanese developed surface-to-air missile system currently in service with the JGSDF. The SAM’s vehicle chassis is based on the Kato Works Ltd/Mitsubishi Heavy Industries NK series heavy crane truck. Information was fed to both Patriot Engagement Controls Station and Chu-SAM Fire Control Platoon in the bilateral CP where both unit command teams exercise the capabilities to deconflict the shared airspace between each unit.
Orient Shield (OS 21-2) focuses on developing and refining the JGSDF and U.S. Army multi-domain and cross-domain operations through a field training exercise. Orient Shield is the largest U.S. Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force bilateral field training exercise being executed in various locations throughout Japan to enhance interoperability and test and refine multi-domain and cross-domain operations.
