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Australian Defence Force personnel have deployed to Hawaii and Japan as part of Exercise Keen Edge 24, testing the command readiness of the three nations.
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Australia’s participation in the bilateral activity between Japan and the US was confirmed during the 2023 Defence Ministers’ Meeting between the Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Japan’s Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru.
The three nations are expected to use the exercise as an opportunity to test their communications capabilities across different locations, improve interoperability, and practice command and control in a “dynamic” scenario.
The last Exercise Keen Edge was held in 2022 and alternates with Exercise Keen Sword. The two exercises cover command post and field training exercises, respectively.
Keen Edge 2022 saw the US and Japanese militaries hone their ability to conduct multi-domain operations.
Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, explained that Exercise Keen Edge was the latest in a series of US-Japanese exercises that Australia has joined.
“The Australia-Japan relationship is underpinned by engagement and collaboration across all aspects of defence and we are actively strengthening our commitment to security cooperation,” LTGEN Bilton said.
“Following Exercise Yama Sakura in late 2023, Australia’s participation in Exercise Keen Edge, with two of our most important partners in Japan and the United States, reinforces our shared commitment to regional security.”
Last year also marked the first occasion that Australia took part in the US-Japan exercise, Yama Sakura.
Exercise Yama Sakura commenced on 4 December at Camp Higashi-Chitose on the Island of Hokkaido and was first held in 1982 to improve interoperability between Japan and the US, practicing command and control for large-scale operations.
Australia has been an observer at the exercise for over a decade.
Australia tasked over 200 members of the Australian Defence Force personnel to take part in the large-scale command post training exercise with the two partner nations.
Defence confirmed that the Australian Army was extended an invitation to take part in the exercise following the conclusion of Exercise Yama Sakura 83.
“Australia’s participation in Exercise Yama Sakura 85 is a significant step forward in trilateral cooperation in support of an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Major General Scott Winter AM, Commander of the 1st Division, told Defence.
The exercise included 230 members of the Australian Army, 1,500 members of the US Army, and 5,300 members of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force.
