The Pacific IAMD Center (PIC) conducted Multilateral IAMD eXperiment (MIX) '24, hosting Integrated Air & Missile Defense professionals from Australia, Japan, and the U.S. from March 4-8 at Hickam Field. Over 50 representatives from the three countries participated in the event, experimenting with a 10-year future construct for defending against (and defeating) a Chinese air and missile campaign throughout the Western Pacific.
"It's important we join together as one team at events like this to integrate, share knowledge and lessons learned, and reap the benefits of collaboration while we seek to maintain a competitive edge over adversaries like China, Russia, and North Korea," said Brig. Gen. Patrick Costello, 94th Army Air Missile Defense Commander.
The primary goal of this joint experiment was to foster continuous learning and innovation, ultimately enhancing future readiness and modernization activities. By leveraging participants' expertise and facilitating exchanges of ideas, the event aimed to inform the development of reliable network systems, data-driven decision-making processes, and joint warfighting concepts.
This 9th iteration of multilateral IAMD engagement added Space-based and Cyber domain effects to the scenario, providing holistic, non-traditional capabilities beyond conventional air and missile defense systems. During the year-long planning cycle leading to the execution of MIX '24, Australian, Japanese, and U.S. planners designed a geographically-based command & control (C2) system with Japan leading a combined task force in the Northern Pacific; Australia supervising activities in the South Pacific and the U.S. coordinating troops in the Central Pacific. Each task force was embedded with military resources from all three nations, preventing the adversary from dividing the coalition and isolating any partners.
Each iteration of the MIX focuses on transforming how future warfighters operate in dynamic, high-tech, multi-domain environments. Participants not only enhance their air and missile defense expertise but also inform policy development within their respective governments.
One of the key concepts explored during the experiment is adopting an open network architecture, allowing allies and partners to share sensor data and coordinate responses to incoming threats seamlessly. This approach transcends traditional bilateral agreements, emphasizing the importance of multilateral cooperation in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
"Under a volatile dictatorship, North Korea has launched over 30 missiles the past year alone while also boasting about their possession of nuclear weapons and adoption of a new nuclear policy, "said Costello. "More concerning is that we know these countries are not only working individually to expand their political influence and military reach throughout the theater."
MIX '24 experimented with countering advanced threats, including Maneuvering Re-Entry Vehicles (MARVs), Hypervelocity Glide Vehicles (HGVs), and swarms of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) in a progressively challenging set of scenarios, culminating in a large-scale attack on all three geographic areas with multiple adversary systems. Countering the devastating multi-axis raid, AUS/JPN/US-allied forces conducted innovative future operations with cutting-edge capabilities: Launch-on-Remote (LOR), Engage-on-Remote (EOR), and complex Offensive Counter Air (OCA) engagements to negate the enemy assault.
"It is our responsibility – together - to prevent, defeat, and mitigate them through a networked system of sensors and shooters," Costello said. "Together, we must reduce barriers to information and intelligence sharing, which will increase interoperability, enable robust bilateral and multilateral opportunities, and support shared awareness in all domains."
Looking ahead, there is a collective commitment to advancing joint fire networks, developing a combined regional architecture for air and missile defense, and establishing policies for actioning air defense based on partners' sensor data. Embracing an open architecture approach will enhance interoperability and defeat airborne threats to the integrated force.
"They're working together as partners to upset the delicate and tenuous peace we have worked so hard to achieve, as displayed with Kim Jong Un's visit with Vladimir Putin in September, which resulted in military agreements to provide DPRK ballistic missiles to Russia in their war with Ukraine," said Costello.
Furthermore, the need to enhance early warning and control systems, joint development efforts for Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) systems, and enhanced interceptor missiles in the 2030s is recognized. This requires increased investment in procuring ammunition and significant maintenance to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of defense systems.
"There is a mutual benefit when we work together, and forums like this are vital to ensuring our shared security and futures in the Pacific," said Costello. "We must capitalize on our common values and shared mutual interests that drive cooperation and fuel our enduring relationships."
The event aimed to inform the development of reliable network systems, data-driven decision-making processes, and joint warfighting concepts by leveraging participants' expertise and facilitating exchanges of ideas. The 94th AAMDC provided substantial support in developing and executing MIX '24, with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) providing technical modeling and simulation expertise.
"Look for opportunities to keep this integration and momentum moving forward, and more importantly, build relationships – this is a relatively small community, and the relationships you form now will be important if conflict arises," Costello said.
Takeaways from MIX ’24 included a unanimous agreement that like-minded nations operating together provide exponential strength and capability that is impossible to operate independently. Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) is a cornerstone advantage the three participating partners share.
Social Sharing