Military Exercise and Training
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Oceania
PNG Defence Force officer appointed to Australian Army in historic first
FORUM Staff Separated by only 150 kilometers of the Torres Strait — once a land bridge connecting them — Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) drew closer in October 2023 with the historic appointment of a PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) officer to a senior leadership role in the Australian Army. Lt. Col. Boniface Aruma, a 27-year veteran, will become deputy…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Philippines joins Japan-led naval drills as encounters with PRC rise in disputed South China Sea
The Associated Press Japan led an annual multinational naval exercise in November 2023 that included the Philippines as a first-time observer, as Philippine Coast Guard vessels are increasingly harassed by People’s Republic of China (PRC) ships in the disputed South China Sea. The Annualex exercise off Japan’s coast, which also included Australia, Canada and the United States, aims to enhance interoperability among…
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Oceania
French, U.S. Marines train together in Tahiti
FORUM Staff United States Marines gained hands-on tactical experience in operating with their French counterparts recently on the Pacific island of Tahiti, which is part of French Polynesia. The Marine Infantry Regiment, French Armed Forces, led members of Headquarters and Service Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, through classes and training August 27 to September 9, 2023, in the town…
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Oceania
Australian Army shifting forces north to bolster Indo-Pacific defenses
Tom Abke The Australian Army is set to relocate almost 1,000 personnel from the nation’s south to its north in the force’s most extensive restructuring in over a decade. The move, announced by the Australian government in September 2023, aims to fortify the nation’s preparedness for potential conflicts in the Indo-Pacific. The Defence Strategic Review, released in early 2023 by…
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Partnerships
India, Indonesia strengthen military ties amid shared security concerns
Gusty Da Costa Indian defense officials and military vessels visited Indonesia recently in a demonstration of the nations’ determination to enhance defense ties in the face of shared security concerns about the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Two Indian Navy ships and two Indian Coast Guard vessels arrived in Indonesia in October 2023 for training, professional interactions, partnership exercises and…
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Northeast Asia
ROK, U.S. troops train with drones, laser sensors
Reuters Republic of Korea (ROK) and United States troops held joint future combat drills involving drones, an uncrewed vehicle and wearable laser sensors in late October 2023, as the ROK military conducts its annual Hoguk exercises to enhance responses to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. Soldiers from the longtime allies joined forces for urban warfare drills at the Korea…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Philippine military revamping reserve force amid rising regional tensions
Maria T. Reyes The Philippine military plans to revamp its reserve force as it strengthens the country’s defenses to adapt to evolving security challenges, including the threat posed by an aggressive People’s Republic of China (PRC). During the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) National Reservist Week in October 2023, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the…
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Northeast Asia
Resolute Dragon 2023 roars across Japan
FORUM Staff Persistent displays of force around Taiwan and Japan by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) enhanced the urgency of Resolute Dragon, an annual training exercise conducted by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and United States Marine Corps. Featuring 7,300 troops, the Japan-based exercise’s field training portion from October 14-31 was more than twice the size of its previous…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Japan, South Korea, U.S. hold inaugural aerial exercise in face of North Korean threats
The Associated Press Japan, South Korea and the United States conducted their first joint aerial exercise in late October 2023 in response to evolving North Korean nuclear threats. The training near the Korean Peninsula followed the three countries’ agreement to increase defense cooperation and boost joint response capabilities against North Korean threats, the Republic of Korea (ROK) Air Force said.…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
USINDOPACOM Office of Women, Peace & Security holds inaugural gender advisor course
FORUM Staff The United States Indo-Pacific Command’s (USINDOPACOM) Office of Women, Peace & Security (WPS) conducted its first Indo-Pacific Regional Military Gender Advisor Course in Hawaii in late August 2023. The event marked the launch of a five-year training initiative by USINDOPACOM. The WPS Office designed the annual course to develop a trained network of gender advisors from partner nations,…
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