To counter major powers in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States has established a multi-domain force headquarters in Japan.

According to Japanese media, the United States will establish a Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) headquarters in Japan on the 15th to counter China and Russia in the Indo-Pacific region. China and Russia have already deployed hypersonic missiles in practice before the United States. China currently operates more than 300 military satellites and is developing hypersonic weapons for space launches.

MDTF is a new concept unit deployed by the U.S. Army since 2017, aimed at countering the possibility of China and Russia using various advanced technologies to prevent the deployment of U.S. military forces. The goal of this unit is to detect enemy movements, grasp the situation, and conduct comprehensive strikes across multiple domains such as land, sea, air, space, cyber, and electronic warfare.

The United States is considering establishing a Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) command in Japan and deploying a Multi-Domain Effects Battalion (MDEB), which constitutes MDTF, in South Korea. The MDEB deployed in South Korea is likely to serve as the "eyes and ears" of the Japanese command.

A South Korean military source said: "Since 2001, the United States has always used Japan as a base for power projection in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. forces stationed in South Korea consider limited overseas power projection during regional emergencies, and this plan is being concretized." The Multi-Domain Effects Battalion uses various means such as reconnaissance satellites, space sensors, drones, and beyond-visual-range radars to monitor enemy movements and combines this information with military intelligence and signals intelligence to assess the battlefield situation. Using this information, it conducts secret attacks such as radio wave interference, cyberattacks, and psychological warfare. However, these means alone cannot carry out physical attacks or defend against enemy attacks.

Therefore, in the MDTF at the regimental level, units such as long-range precision strike missile battalions, artillery battalions, and air defense battalions will be included.

According to the "Multi-Domain Force Report" from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Pacific Army under the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) is pushing for a plan to separately establish headquarters (command posts) in Japan and Hawaii in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. military plans to establish five MDTFs, three of which will operate in the Indo-Pacific region. The report revealed that the fourth MDTF, expected to be established in 2027, will come under the command of the Japanese headquarters.

With Russia's attack on Ukraine and the increasing possibility of the Taiwan Strait issue, the importance of MDTF has become more prominent. When war breaks out far from American territory, China and Russia may use long-range missiles and electronic warfare to hinder U.S. forces from reaching the battlefield and attempt to establish "facts on the ground". The U.S. military plans to deploy MDTFs in various locations so that they can quickly be deployed to the battlefield via transport planes in case of an emergency, preventing such situations from occurring.

General Xavier Brunson, the commander of the U.S. Forces in South Korea, stated in an interview on the 8th of this month: "We are considering new capabilities needed to respond to changing threats on the Korean Peninsula, especially considering the deployment of a Multi-Domain Effects Battalion." This statement implies that the role is smaller compared to setting up a command in Japan. A South Korean military source said: "The role of the U.S. forces in South Korea will shrink, while the role of the U.S. forces in Japan will increase, which is a continuation."

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840924926395456/

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