(Earth Defence - Earth Shield) - China joins RIMPAC 2014 - (Rim of the Pacific Exercise - NEOShield to assess Earth defence)

<blockquote>'..The potential for maritime cooperation in disaster relief loomed large during the exercises this year as well, and was specifically mentioned by USN officials..'

- Dr. Robert Farley, 2012</blockquote>


'Participation at RIMPAC will give the PLA Navy access to the expertise of foreign navies in humanitarian assistance.

If the past is any guide, in the next decade, the Pacific Rim will certainly suffer from devastating maritime disasters.

Climate change, combined with an increasing proportion of the region's population relocating to the littoral, means that naval forces will be pressed to engage in humanitarian operations whether prepared or not .. For the millions living in the Pacific Rim littoral, this could someday mean the difference between life and death.'

<blockquote>'Exercises and RIMPAC help develop relationships and practices that make it easier for national navies to cooperate in crisis situations, and to coordinate standard maritime maintenance responsibilities.

..

..the biggest maritime challenges of the past decade have involved disaster relief.

The PLA Navy can surely learn from hard-won US experience in maritime disaster relief operations, as the US Navy helped spearhead relief activities in the wake of the 2004 tsunami, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.

The aviation and amphibious capabilities of the PLA Navy have increased dramatically since 2004, but the experience remains critically short. Participation at RIMPAC will give the PLA Navy access to the expertise of foreign navies in humanitarian assistance.

If the past is any guide, in the next decade, the Pacific Rim will certainly suffer from devastating maritime disasters.

Climate change, combined with an increasing proportion of the region's population relocating to the littoral, means that naval forces will be pressed to engage in humanitarian operations whether prepared or not.

To the extent that China wishes to play a constructive role in these operations, it will have to develop effective capabilities as quickly as possible.

RIMPAC is a good first step toward integrating the PLA Navy into regional disaster preparedness, and toward building the communications linkages, trust, and relationships necessary to conduct effective multilateral relief operations.

..

For the millions living in the Pacific Rim littoral, this could someday mean the difference between life and death.'

- Dr. Robert M. Farley, RIMPAC exercises bring welcome new experience for Chinese navy, April 7, 2013</blockquote>


Context BBC - NEOShield to assess Earth defence

<blockquote>(Earth Defence - Earth Shield) - The Electric Universe: Stellar Atmospheric Function In Regulation Experiment (SAFIRE) '..a worldwide event .. The Geology of Melbourne’s Port Phillip bay indicates numerous tectonic upheavals unmatched in recent history.'

(Earth Defence - Earth Shield) - PACOM supports China invite to RIMPAC 2014..


Military Open Source Software Working Group Conference

Open Source (Capitalism) - Open Relief: Open, modular, information solutions for disaster relief

Chelyabinsk meteor 'NEOShield is a new international project that will assess the threat posed by Near Earth Objects (NEO) and look at the best possible solutions for dealing with a big asteroid or comet on a collision path with our planet.' - BBC - NEOShield to assess Earth defence


'..we are restructuring the SM-3 IIB program.' - Chuck Hagel

BOB JOHNSON: The Electric Sun Revisited | EU 2013</blockquote>