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US, Japan Kick off Military Exercise Involving 57,000 Personnel
The Diplomat
US, Japan Kick off Military Exercise Involving 57,000 Personnel
The U.S. and Japan began the biennial Keen Sword exercise at military installations throughout Japan and surrounding waters.
By Franz-Stefan Gady
October 30, 2018
The U.S. military and the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) began a biennial 10-day military exercise, dubbed Keen Sword, at military installations throughout Japan and surrounding waters on October 29. The exercise, designed to increase the combat readiness and interoperability of U.S. and Japanese forces, involves dozens of U.S. and Japanese ships, hundreds of aircraft, and around 57,000 personnel from both nations.
“Keen Sword will give U.S. and Japanese forces an opportunity to practice critical air, maritime, and amphibious capabilities essential for Japan’s defense and for regional security,” said Lieutenant General Jerry P. Martinez, commander of U.S. Forces Japan. “Just as important, the exercise is a visible demonstration of the strength and durability of the U.S-Japan alliance and our shared pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
Approximately 10,000 U.S. military personnel from the U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Forces Japan, 7th Fleet, 5th Air Force, 374th Airlift Wing, 18th Wing, 35th Fighter Wing, and III Marine Expeditionary Force will take part in the exercise, according to a U.S. Pacific Fleet press release. The last Keen Sword military drill was held in November 2016, which for the first time since the inception of the exercise in 1986 involved joint amphibious assault operations.
“Keen Sword will give U.S. and Japanese forces an opportunity to practice critical air, maritime, and amphibious capabilities essential for Japan’s defense and for regional security,” said Lieutenant General Jerry P. Martinez, commander of U.S. Forces Japan. “Just as important, the exercise is a visible demonstration of the strength and durability of the U.S-Japan alliance and our shared pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
Approximately 10,000 U.S. military personnel from the U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Forces Japan, 7th Fleet, 5th Air Force, 374th Airlift Wing, 18th Wing, 35th Fighter Wing, and III Marine Expeditionary Force will take part in the exercise, according to a U.S. Pacific Fleet press release. The last Keen Sword military drill was held in November 2016, which for the first time since the inception of the exercise in 1986 involved joint amphibious assault operations.
More
https://thediplomat.com/2018/10/us-japan-kick-off-military-exercise-involving-57000-personnel/
S.Korean military analysts have observed that the exercise is twice the size of the previous exercise in 2016, and that the increased scale of the exercise is due to the suspension of the Vigilant Ace joint exercise with South Korea. It is doubtful that much budget savings are being achieved by cancellation of US joint exercises with South Korea but rather that budget authority is being used to preserve this years level of military spending. The scale of the exercise is discussed in terms of readiness, increased Chinese threat, and improving Japanese IDF force readiness and interoperability.