Airmen from Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command participated in a first-of-its-kind joint and interagency homeland defense drill earlier this month in Key West, Fla. The Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense field training exercise represented the first time that live flying was integrated into a scenario involving missile defense of North America, according to officials involved in the drill’s planning and execution. “The J-DIAMD concept is designed to enhance our ability to defend the homeland,” said Canadian Brig. Gen. Christopher Coates, deputy commander of NORAD’s continental US region. “The strength of J-DIAMD is that it provides commanders with real-time information to enable decision makers to make informed decisions using the best available sensors and shooter assets to resolve threat situations.” The J-DIAMD drill, held on Nov. 7, was part of US Northern Command’s Vigilant Shield 12 homeland defense exercise. (Tyndall report by Mary McHale)
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.