Eighty Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel will deploy across Japan, Hawaii, Guam, and Australia to test their response to security challenges in the Pacific.

The major training activity brings together forces from the United States (US), Japan, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, pitting them against security challenges at sea, in the air, on land, from space, and in cyberspace.

Australia’s contribution includes a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, exercise control staff, and personnel embedded within participating Air Battlespace Management and Integrated Air and Missile Defence units. 

ADF aviator observers will integrate with the US-led MQ-28A Ghost Bat participation in the exercise, supporting Australia’s ongoing effort to mature collaborative combat aircraft capabilities.

All exercise participants will need to detect, locate, track and engage shared threats. 

Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, AO, CSC said the experience gained from an integrated exercise such as Valiant Shield would enhance defence capability for the future. 

“This year’s complex training environment reflects the shared challenges we face in the current strategic circumstances,” Vice Admiral Jones said. 

“In a highly complex and dynamic threat environment across maritime, land, air, cyber and space domains – we need to be able to seamlessly operate with allies and partners.

“The experience we draw from Exercise Valiant Shield 26 ensures Australia is working alongside our allies and partners to deter acts of military aggression, and maintain a credible military force capable of holding potential adversary forces at risk.”

Exercise Valiant Shield 26 demonstrates Australia’s value as a credible and reliable security partner, as well as our long-standing contribution to the collective security of the Indo-Pacific. 

The US first conducted Exercise Valiant Shield in 2006. Participation expanded to include Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand in 2024. 

Media note

Once available, media can access imagery/vision at https://images.defence.gov.au/S20261769