US, Japan deploy 200 aircraft and 40 ships; coordinate across land, sea, air in major military drill

What happened

Japan and the US have completed Keen Sword 27, an 11-day military exercise involving approximately 56,000 personnel, 200 aircraft and 40 ships. The drills tested the two allies’ ability to coordinate operations across land, sea and air, while also incorporating space, cyber, electromagnetic warfare and logistics training.

The exercise concluded on October 29 after 161 training events, including eight live-fire drills in which Japanese and US forces fired munitions from ships, aircraft and helicopters. Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the Philippines joined forces operating around Japan, including in waters and airspace near Okinawa and the Sakishima Islands.

Pilots conducted 366 sorties, while military personnel made approximately 130 parachute jumps. Seven other countries also participated, illustrating the exercise’s growing multinational dimension.