The U.S. Navy and the Japan Self-Defense Force have conducted tomahawk land attack missile training aboard the USS McCampbell destroyer and a naval facility in Yokosuka, Japan.
The Surface Combat Systems Training Command hosted the JSDF for the four-day exercise that trained Japanese naval officers to coordinate shipboard cruise missile operations.
The event provided a preview of the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System consoles and associated equipment and allowed the participants to execute a simulated generic strike mission scenario, the U.S. Navy said.
The program also required the trainees to attend lectures and discussions during classroom sessions.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, who stopped by on the last day of the exercise, said the collaboration will further enhance the Japanese navy’s capacity, hinting that similar undertakings are being planned.
Cmdr. Michael Arnold, the officer in charge of SCSTC WESTPAC, explained that the joint effort enabled Japan to master the capability offered by the Tomahawk Weapon Control System.
The naval exercise occurred as the United States and Japan developed plans to boost their defense cooperation to counter China’s growing aggressiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Washington and Tokyo are expected to announce details of the security pact upgrade when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits the White House on April 10, the Financial Times reported.