The U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) J3 director of operations and ballistic missile defense (BMD) leaders toured the U.S. Navy Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG-67) on January 25.
As part of the special engagement, Shiloh’s commanding officer Capt. Adam Aycock provided a unit brief to Air Force Col. Jeff Alexander, director of operations for J3, and his team, regarding the multi-mission platform of the ship, as well as past and future operations.
“The Navy separates air defense from BMD. As a BMD ship, we are responsible for countering exo-atmospheric threats,” said Lt. Darnell Taylor , Shiloh’s ballistic missile defense officer. BMD addresses the threat of missiles which leave the atmosphere, and requires specialized technology available in the AEGIS system. “We host multi-national events like the BMD Syndicate to strengthen a common [operational task] language with U.S. allies and joint forces.”
Shiloh hosted the delegation in order to emphasize the ship’s capability in the defense of Japan, giving senior leaders a better understanding of its operational footprint. Col. Alexander and his staff were shown a video and received a brief detailing the role of Navy BMD and the overall planning and support of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
The visiting USFJ leaders also watched a training evolution in Shiloh’s combat information center to get a better understanding of the special skills and equipment needed to operate a BMD ship.
Shiloh is forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.