AIPAC: Israel and America: Keeping Each Other Safe, Strong and Secure

Strategy. Safety. Security.

Those are the principles that define the defense partnership between the United States and Israel. Whether it's phone calls between senior defense officials at the Pentagon and their counterparts in Tel Aviv, instant communication between American and Israeli commanders on duty, or joint training exercises between troops from both countries—not a day goes by without critical American-Israeli engagement. Strategy DID YOU KNOW? In 2010, the head of the U.S. National Guard, Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley, visited Israel as part of a four-year partnership with Israel's Home Front Command. High-Level Meetings Military cooperation between the United States and Israel wasformalized in 1983. Since then, both countries have created a number of high level cooperative groups which meet regularly to discuss shared threats and develop joint solutions. These groups include the Joint Political Military Group, the Defense Policy Advisory Group and the Strategic Dialogue Group. In June 2010, the Defense Policy Advisory Group met in Tel Aviv where both countries discussed mutual threats including Iran and terrorism. "The Israelis, of course, remain a vital ally and a cornerstone of our regional security commitments." -ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF   Safety DID YOU KNOW? Jointly developed by the United States and Israel, theArrow missile defensesystem can shoot down incoming missiles at high altitudes and supersonic speeds. The system was tested for coordinated use by both countries at the 2010 Juniper Cobra joint military exercise in Israel. Missile Defense For decades, missile defense has been the centerpiece of U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation. With both nations increasingly under threat from long and short-range ballistic missiles, Israel and the United States have jointly developed some of the world's most sophisticated missile defense systems. The United States views Israel as a testing ground for many of the most advanced missile defense systems that help protect Israeli civilians as well as U.S. and Israeli combat troops. "Our relationship with Israel is a critical one that is stronger than ever. We greatly value this cooperation." -GENERAL CRAIG MCKINLEY, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE   Security DID YOU KNOW? Baladia City is a 7.4 square mile simulated Arab village used for urban combat training in Israel's Negev desert. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and funded with U.S. military aid, the facility is being used by the Israel Defense Forces to hone their urban combat skills. U.S. military units have extensively trained at the facility with their Israeli colleagues in order to simulate urban combat missions in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Joint Exercises Each year, various branches and levels of both countries' militaries hold numerous joint training exercises in the United States and Israel. They learn from one another, improve how they work together and experience combat situations in diverse geographical locations. Each training mission provides an opportunity to develop joint military solutions to a variety of potential scenarios. Juniper Cobra is the largest U.S.-Israel joint exercise. The biennial exercise focuses on missile defense.   Military Exchanges Each year, units from every branch of the U.S. military visit Israel for in-depth training. From educating soldiers about understanding the terrorist mindset to utilizing Israeli air ranges, Israeli training provides an invaluable opportunity for American forces. From America's West Point to Israel's National Defense College, hundreds of soliders attend each country's professional military training institutions each year where they receive advanced training in a variety of specialized areas. "It's a transfer of information. They tell us how they conduct operations and we tell them how we run our operations." -BOB DETZEL, TRAINING OFFICER, CHEMICAL/ BIOLOGICAL INCIDEENT RESPONSE FORCE (U.S. NAVY)