No call yet for Springs military assistance after tsunami

Any American military relief effort would likely involve troops from U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs, which plans military assistance for American natural disasters.

Leaders at the Peterson Air Force command said they're watching the situation but have not received orders to provide help.

"We're watching the situation as it unfolds and standing by for any requests that might come," a Northern Command spokesman said Friday morning.

At the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command at Peterson, leaders were ready to deliver assistance with mapping and satellite images — help they provided to federal and state authorities during Hurricane Katrina.

Air Force Space Command at Peterson has similar skills it could bring to the relief effort. The command has infrared satellites sensitive enough to spot fires on the ground.

The 302nd Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit at Peterson, is skilled in aerial firefighting, casualty evacuation and air-dropping cargo — three things that could be useful in Japan.

Also, the Department of Defense released a statement from Defense Secretary Robert Gates:

"I've been kept informed all day long about the tsunami in Japan, the earthquake and tsunami.  As best we can tell, all of our people are OK, our ships and military facilities are all in pretty good shape.  We obviously have huge sympathy for the people of Japan and we are prepared to help them in any way we possibly can.  It's obviously a very sophisticated country, but this is a huge disaster and we will do all, anything we are asked to do to help out."