US, Japan hold exercise Noble Fusion in Philippine Sea

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.