Current Events in Asia-Pacific

From BBC News [excerpt]

From Navy Times Police raid Japanese base over suspected leak By Mari Yamaguchi - The Associated Press Posted : Tuesday Aug 28, 2007 7:18:28 EDT TOKYO — Police raided a Japanese naval base Tuesday to investigate an alleged leak of sensitive warship technology data shared between Japan and the U.S., defense officials said. The leak involves U.S.-developed technology for the Aegis radar systems used on several Japanese destroyers and U.S. warships carrying missile interceptors. Investigators believe the information was circulated among Japanese naval academy students. The scandal has embarrassed Japanese defense officials at a time when Tokyo and Washingto…

U.S. Moves to Boost Japan’s Missile Shield By REUTERS, WASHINGTON defensenews The Pentagon notified Congress June 29 of a proposed sale to Tokyo of nine more sea-based missiles and related gear valued at up to $387 million to strengthen Japan’s fledgling ballistic missile shield. The nine SM-3 Block IA Standard missiles, built by Raytheon Co., are the second batch requested by Tokyo in recent months. They would be used on Japanese ships equipped with high-technology AEGIS combat systems built by Lockheed Martin Corp. One such Aegis weapon system would be upgraded for ballistic-missile defense under the new proposed sale, the Defense Department said. …

North Korea’s Submarine Ballistic Missile Program Moves Ahead: Indications of Shipbuilding and Missile Ejection Testing (38 North)

From Navy Times Sources: Navy was tracking Chinese sub By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer Posted : Friday Jun 19, 2009 12:10:00 EDT Two defense officials have confirmed that the crew aboard the destroyer John S. McCain was tracking the submarine that struck its towed sonar array June 10 in the South China Sea off the Philippines. The officials, who are familiar with the incident but were not authorized to speak on the subject, confirmed the array, which trailed up to a mile behind the ship, was hit by a Chinese navy submarine, although it was not sighted on the surface. Days after the incident, Chinese officials acknowledged that the submarine was theirs. T…

Commercial photos show Chinese nuke buildup By Bill Gertz THE WASHINGTON TIMES February 16, 2006 Commercial satellite photos made public recently provide a new look at China's nuclear forces and bases images that include the first view of a secret underwater submarine tunnel. A Pentagon official said the photograph of the tunnel entrance reveals for the first time a key element of China's hidden military buildup. Similar but more detailed intelligence photos of the entrance are highly classified within the U.S. government, the official said. "The Chinese have a whole network of secret facilities that the U.S. government understands but cannot m…

From Navy Times New subs will keep Pearl busy By William Cole - Honolulu Advertiser Posted : Sunday May 20, 2007 16:10:31 EDT The new nuclear attack submarine Hawaii and other Virginia-class subs will be the major source of work for the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in coming years, officials said. The $2.4 billion vessel was commissioned May 5 in Groton, Conn., and is expected to arrive for the first time at its home port of Pearl Harbor in 2009. Submarines account for about 90 percent of the work done by Pearl Harbor’s shipyard, the state’s largest industrial employer with a work force of 4,740. Pearl Harbor has 16 Los Angeles-class submarines. The s…

From Defence Aerospace US: North Korea Apparently Fires Missile into Sea of Japan (Source : Voice of America news ; issued April 30, 2005) WASHINGTON --- A top U.S. official says it appears North Korea has launched a short-range missile into the Sea of Japan. A few hours after the first reports surfaced of a possible North Korean missile test, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card was interviewed on American television. He told CNN's Late Edition there is reason to believe the initial Japanese reports are true. "It appears that there was a test of a short-range missile by the North Koreans, and it landed in the Sea of Japan," he said. Mr. Card made c…

From Air Force Times January 08, 2007 Holloman squadron bound for Korea The Associated Press ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — About 300 airmen with Holloman Air Force Base’s 49th Fighter Wing and a squadron of F-117A Stealth fighters will begin a four-month deployment to Korea on Monday, base officials said. The regularly scheduled deployment is not related to a particular threat or event but part of ongoing measures to maintain a credible deterrent and presence in the Western Pacific, said base spokesman Tom Fuller. The deployment will keep the “pilots and crews on their toes” and practice moving men and equipment over a long distance and operate in a forward area, F…

Bomb By Bomb, Japan Sheds Military Restraints By Norimitsu Onishi ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam — To take part in its annual exercises with the United States Air Force here last month, Japan practiced dropping 500-pound live bombs on Farallon de Medinilla, a tiny island in the western Pacific’s turquoise waters more than 150 miles north of here. The pilots described dropping a live bomb for the first time — shouting “shack!” to signal a direct hit — and seeing the fireball from aloft. “The level of tension was just different,” said Capt. Tetsuya Nagata, 35, stepping down from his cockpit onto the sunbaked tarmac. The exercise would have been unremarkab…

Report: Japanese navy leaked missile data The Associated Press Posted : Tuesday May 22, 2007 9:05:19 EDT TOKYO — Classified information about a U.S.-developed missile defense system was leaked from Japan’s navy to students at a naval academy, a news report said Tuesday, as officials investigated security gaps in military information shared between the allies. Investigators say the leak involved ship-to-air SM-3 interceptor missiles that are to be deployed on Japanese ships later this year, Kyodo News agency reported, citing unidentified officials. Investigators are already looking into the alleged leak of information about the U.S.-developed high-tech Aeg…

The First Battle of the Next War: Wargaming a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan (CSIS, 9 January)

From Defence Talk S.Korea won't join arms interdiction Reuters Nov 13, 2006 - 5:47:06 AM SEOUL (Reuters): South Korea will not join a U.S.-led plan to intercept North Korean ships suspected of carrying arms cargo as a part of sanctions on Pyongyang for conducting a nuclear test, reports said on Monday. South Korea has reviewed whether to expand its participation in the plan after the North's October 9 nuclear test, but it has been wary that such an operation near the Korean peninsula could escalate military tension with the North. "The government will express support for the goal and principles of the (plan) but will not formally join for the time being cons…

From DefenseNews Posted 03/21/07 08:40 South Korean Air Force Chief Resigns REUTERS, SEOUL, South Korea South Korea’s air force commander resigned March 21, becoming the latest leader in the country brought down in part by a golfing scandal. President Roh Moo-hyun accepted the resignation of Air Force Chief of Staff Kim Seong-il, a presidential spokesman said. In an abrupt announcement, Kim said he was offering to resign to take responsibility for air crashes that occurred during his tenure, an Air Force spokesman said. But he was also facing intense criticism for reportedly playing golf while the nation mourned the death of the first South Korean soldier kil…

As U.S. warships ply the waters, China rises on the horizon By ERIC TALMADGE Associated Press writer Friday, May 12, 2006 StarTribune ABOARD THE USS GARY -- It has been a rough few days. Steaming up the eastern coast of Japan, Cmdr. Joseph Deleon's guided missile frigate has been tossed around on heavy seas and the younger sailors, back from five months ashore, are feeling seasick. Grounded by high winds, the helicopter pilots are watching movies in the ward room. The primary mission is hunting submarines. But the Gary, like the U.S. Seventh Fleet to which it belongs, is also a showcase of American power in a region fraught with crises -- North Korea, Taiwan…

From DefenseNews China and Russia to Hold Joint Military Exercises Aug 18-26: Report By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BEIJING China and Russia will hold rare joint military exercises involving up to 8,000 service personnel from August 18-26, a state newspaper reported July 6. ”Peace Mission 2005” will involve China’s army, navy and air force, while Russia will dispatch its navy and air force, said the Global Times, citing Russian press reports. China’s Defense Ministry has not announced the exercises. But Russian President Vladimir Putin said June 30 during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao that joint exercises would take place later this year. …

Navy plans large-scale exercise off Guam Valiant Shield will involve 3 carriers, 22,000 troops By Audrey McAvoy - The Associated Press Posted : Tuesday Apr 10, 2007 9:54:39 EDT PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The Navy will send three aircraft carriers to waters off Guam for large-scale exercises late this summer, the outgoing U.S. Pacific Fleet commander said. The Valiant Shield war games will resemble exercises held near the U.S. territory last June. Those brought together some 28 ships, 280 airplanes and 22,000 troops. Adm. Gary Roughead, announcing the exercises Monday, said the Navy learned a great deal from last year's large-scale exercises and wanted to hol…

From ARES RAAF Goes for Growlers Posted by Robert Wall at 2/27/2009 1:32 AM CST The Royal Australian Air Force could be the first non-U.S. military service to operate EA-18 Growler electronic attack aircraft under a deal announced in Australia today. The deal is also noteworthy for the fact that it indicates the U.S. is willing to share some of its most advanced technology with close allies -- neither the EA-6B nor EF-111 jammers were exported. The EA-18G deal comes not long after the Pentagon agreed to let the U.K. buy RC-135 Rivet Joints, the highly sensitive signals intelligence system. Australia is not buying new Growlers; instead it would modify 12 o…

From Defense Aerospace Deed of Settlement and Release Signed for FFG Upgrade (Source: ADI Ltd.; issued May 30, 2006) ADI Limited has signed a Deed of Settlement and Release with the Commonwealth of Australia formalising the Government’s decision to reduce the FFG Upgrade Project from six ships to four and resolving all outstanding commercial and contractual issues on the A$1 billion project. The deed, signed by vice president Thales Naval Australia and ADI director of naval Ali Baghaei, and Defence Materiel Organisation deputy CEO Kim Gillis on Monday May 29, is the result of several months of detailed negotiations. The signing comes one month after the fir…

From Aviation Week Japan Eyes Defense Changes Sep 2, 2007 By David A. Fulghum U.S. military operations have centered on the Middle East and Southwest Asia for most of the last two decades. The result is a myopic focus on combat against insurgents and terrorists. But the Western Pacific and Eastern Asia offer another concern. Some of the world’s largest, economically fastest-growing and most industrialized nations are beginning to develop and flex their military muscle. The question for the U.S. and its partners, in particular Japan, is how to keep a lid on political tensions and the impulse to use military force to solve problems of state. Here, in a special rep…