Allies, partners enhance all-domain readiness with military exercises across Indo-Pacific

FORUM Staff

More than 30 allied and partner militaries deployed personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, uncrewed vehicles and other assets across the Indo-Pacific in mid-2024. The multinational, near-simultaneous exercises Pitch Black, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) and Valiant Shield stretched from Oceania and the Western Pacific to Northeast Asia.

Tens of thousands of troops joined the all-domain training to build interoperability across nations and military branches, strengthen ties and enhance readiness.

Australia’s exercise Pitch Black, the largest in its 43-year history, united 20 nations and more than 4,400 personnel for air combat training in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from July 12 to August 2, it incorporated more than 140 aircraft from 16 countries to rehearse combat maneuvers, offensive and defensive counter-air tactics, and other complex operations.

“The quality of training we can provide down here and the airspace we have, the weapons ranges we have and the engagements we have forged across multiple nations is a shining example of how we build interoperability amongst our air forces — and more importantly it’s how we build our partnerships across countries,” RAAF Air Commodore Pete Robinson told Defense News magazine.

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The U.S.’s deployment of its F-22A Raptor, the world’s most advanced fighter jet, underscored the nation’s commitment to regional security and collective readiness, according to the U.S. Air Force. Pitch Black 2024 also included the Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour.

Other participants included Brunei, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Singapore, Spain, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

The U.S.-hosted RIMPAC, held June 27 to August 2 in and around the Hawaiian Islands, is the world’s largest maritime exercise. More than 25,000 personnel from 29 nations rehearsed contingencies from anti-submarine and multi-ship warfare to amphibious landings and aircraft carrier defense.

With three submarines, 14 land forces, 40 ships and 150-plus aircraft, the exercise sustains cooperation among partners critical to ensuring sea lines of communication and a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. In its 29th year, RIMPAC also featured its largest humanitarian aid and disaster relief drill.

Militaries tested advanced weapons systems, including the U.S.’s Quicksink air-delivered capability for defeating surface vessels and Australia’s successful live fire of a Naval Strike Missile, according to the U.S. Navy. The tests were conducted during two live-fire sinking exercises (SINKEX) off the coast of Kauai, in which Australian, Malaysian, Dutch, ROK and U.S. personnel gained experience targeting and firing on surface ships at sea.

Participating nations also included Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga and the U.K.

“The United States is an Indo-Pacific nation. We know that our partnerships in this region make a difference — that friendship is strength. We don’t take that for granted,” Chief of U.S. Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti told naval leaders from allied and partner nations.

In its first multinational iteration, Valiant Shield 2024 built proficiency among more than 10,000 participants who rehearsed detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units across domains — air, land, sea, space and cyber.

The training in and around Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau and Japan from June 7 to 18 integrated partner forces with the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy and Space Force.

Highlights included a SINKEX in the North Pacific, and maneuvers between the French and U.S. navies in the Philippine Sea. The U.S. Army’s newly fielded Precision Strike Missile, fired from Palau, engaged a moving target at sea. Nine Japanese prefectures hosted air operations and combat drills.

“Valiant Shield provides us a unique opportunity to operate and engage with our Allies and Partners and to demonstrate our shared commitment to global security and stability,” said U.S. Navy Adm. Stephen T. Koehler, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.