Japan and U.S. Conclude Keen Sword 27 Exercise with Eight Live-Fire Drills
Japan and the United States have concluded Keen Sword 27, an 11-day joint military exercise involving forces from seven other countries. Approximately 45,000 Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel and 11,000 U.S. troops participated, supported by about 200 aircraft and 40 ships, including the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group. The exercise featured 161 training events under a common scenario, including eight live-fire drills where Japanese and U.S. forces fired munitions from ships, airplanes, and helicopters. Training operations were conducted in and around Okinawa, the Sakishima Islands, Tanegashima, and in the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, and surrounding waters and airspace. Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Philippines also took part. Rear Adm. Jay Clark, director of the exercise’s Bilateral Exercise Control Group, stated that the exercise demonstrated the capability to provide critical infrastructure to support partner nations and refined bilateral and coali...
