The Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) will temporarily deploy Patriot missile batteries (Patriot Advanced Capability 3 – PAC 3) to several United States installations in Japan starting August 29 to practice and refine ability to rapidly respond to North Korean missile threats, the US Forces in Japan said.
These US installations are Yokota Air Base, Misawa Air Base, and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni – housing both US and Japanese forces and play a vital role in the defense of Japan.
The PAC-3 deployment training will take place at Yokota Air Base and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni on August 29 and at Misawa Air Base on September 7.
“The one-day deployments will test the interoperability of US and Japanese forces,” the US Forces in Japan said.
It added that the training will allow for on-site assessments of firing locations, and provide the JASDF with opportunities to test rapid deployment of their air defense assets.