The US military has conducted a joint naval expeditionary exercise with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Philippine Sea.
Dubbed Noble Fusion, the aim of the drill was to maintain combat readiness, reinforce the US commitment to regional allies, and bolster shared security, stability, and peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
Combined Task Force 79 operations officer Col. Michael Brennan stated that the integration of two Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)/Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG) and elements of the US Navy, Marines, and Air Force with their Japanese counterparts, “demonstrates our ability to command and control lethal forces” and create strategic advantage in a contested environment.
The expeditionary exercise was preparation for potential enemy action in the First Island Chain of Taiwan, Okinawa, and the Philippines, which China sees as its “first line of defense.”
This year’s Noble Fusion exercise marked the first time since 2018 in which two MEU/ARG operated together in the Indo-Pacific, conducting amphibious maneuvers to seize key terrain with aircraft in the Philippine Sea.
‘A Great Display of Interoperability’
According to the US Navy, the exercise showed that combining naval expeditionary forces yields a more solid combat force for lethal sea-denial operations, guaranteeing freedom of movement for US and allied forces.
F-35B Lightning aircraft conducted two live-fire air-to-ground strikes and one simulated strike at a training range in the First Island Chain. F-15C Eagles also teamed with a P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft to conduct a maritime strike.
“It was an exciting experience,” E-2D Advanced Hawkeye pilot Lt. Dante Vivilecchia remarked. “There was flawless coordination among the strike group, ARG and MEU. It was a great display of interoperability, reinforcing our ability to operate alongside Marine Harriers and MV-22s.”
US Air Force Capt. Mark Mikecin said that executing maritime strike missions with the Navy and Marine Corps provides military pilots with excellent training to cooperate on more complex problems.
Brennan echoed Mikecin, saying that the most powerful tool in the US military is a cohesive, joint team that can effectively execute missions should the need to defend the US and its allies arise.
