Ai
rmen from 13th Air Force and six Japan Air Self Defense Force liaison officers are engrossed in Exercise Keen Edge ’07 at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, in an effort to increase combat readiness as well as interoperability with JASDF. The intent of the Japan-led exercise is to deter aggression, ensure Japan’s defense and protect common interests within the Pacific Region. The command post exercise uses computer simulation of force employment. By working with Japan’s officers, the 613th Air and Space Operation Center members will learn to integrate each country’s forces to respond to contingency operations, natural disasters and humanitarian efforts.
Raytheon, a division of defense giant RTX, recently announced a multiyear deal with the Pentagon to increase annual production of the Air Force’s primary dogfighting missile by more than 50 percent from two years ago.
