Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

U.S. forces in Korea distribute “Strategic Digest 2015”

 

Responding to increasing North Korean missile threats, Korea and U.S. military authorities established the “principle of antimissile operation” to provide operation decisions, faculties development and operational guidance of the alliance.

 

The principle specifies that the Korea-U.S. alliance procures, deploys and uses the antimissile ability based on the Korea-U.S. combined threat evaluation for North Korean missile threats.

 

And the alliance is to enhance its antimissile operation capability and proficiency through combined exercise and training, interoperable ability and procedure improvement.

 

In addition, it has and supports the abilities that deal with and solve the missile threats consistently, and are required for 4D plans (defend, detect, disrupt and destroy). On top of this, the antimissile operation is to be executed according to joint council and cooperation.

 

The strategic communication department of plans and policy directorate of U.S. forces in Korea distributed a booklet, “Strategic Digest 2015”, on June 2.

 

In particular, this booklet gives a detailed explanation about the 4D plans, the ability to cope with North Korean missile threats and solve them.

 

U.S. Forces in Korea explained that “Detect” is supporting other planning elements to be conducted by using information, surveillance and reconnaissance assets; and “Defend” is to minimize damage and collapse due to the missile threats through active and passive defensive.

 

“Disrupt” is to reduce the effectiveness of North Korean missile operations by carrying out killing and non-killing operations. Finally, “Destroy” is to perform strike operations to destroy missile capability and supporting assets of North Korea.

 

The U.S. Army said, “America will deploy 60 percent of the U.S. Naval assets to the India-Asia-Pacific Ocean region through the rebalancing toward the Pacific region. Most of them will carry out operations in the Korean area of responsibility.”

 

They also explained, “All the latest fighting forces, such as Littoral combat ship (LCS), MV-22 Osprey, a tilt rotor taking off and landing vertically, EA-18 Growler, maritime patrol aircraft, P-8 Poseidon, Zumwalt-class destroyer, DDG-1000, Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) destroyer, etc., will be deployed in Korea and we expect them to contribute to maintaining stability in waters alongside the Korean Navy.

 

“Last June, Korean soldiers had a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) detection and analysis training at National Training Center(NTC) in Irwin, California. We are planning to have an NTC deployment exercise once every two or three years to provide more developed ability for WMD operations,” the U.S. Army continued.

 

In addition, they analyzed North Korea, saying that Kim Jong-un is expelling opposition forces using an immense and powerful security system, and trying to make his position secure through a generational shift in military leadership to his age soon.

 

“North Korea is well aware of the power of the Korea-U.S. alliance and considers it a great danger. They are trying to negotiate as they please with the U.S. and Korea separately, breaking and weakening the alliance,” they said.

 

By Seok-Jong, Lee < seokjong@dema.mil.kr >
<Copyright ⓒ The Korea Defense Daily, All rights reserved>