U.S. forces and military partners from across the Indo-Pacific have launched Valiant Shield 2026, a multinational exercise that tests allied cooperation from the ocean depths to outer space amid rising regional security challenges.
The biennial exercise, which runs June 21-July 1, spans Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Japan and surrounding Pacific waters. It brings together forces from the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in what has evolved from a U.S.-only event into one of the region’s premier demonstrations of joint and allied military integration.
Space operations play a growing role in Valiant Shield. This year’s exercise includes participation by U.S. Space Command and the U.S. Space Force, reflecting the increasing importance of space-based communications, navigation, intelligence gathering and missile warning.
The exercise also features experiments involving emerging commercial space technologies. California-based LeoLabs is demonstrating its new Scout-S transportable radar system, designed to provide uninterrupted tracking of maneuverable objects in low Earth orbit.
The company said the radar — deployable by land, sea or air and often housed in a standard shipping container — has shown it can monitor Chinese reconnaissance satellites and other spacecraft. The system is being evaluated as military planners seek more resilient methods to maintain awareness of activity in space.
In LeoLab comments reported by Breaking Defense, CEO Tony Frazier said evolving threats require a different approach to monitoring space activities.
“The threat has changed and so should the architecture,” Frazier said. “The acceleration of adversarial activity in space is challenging U.S. and allied space superiority. Tracking objects periodically to predict orbits is no longer enough. What matters now is the ability to maintain persistent custody of maneuverable payloads so our customers can respond to emerging threats.”
Military officials say such capabilities have grown in importance as potential adversaries field satellites capable of maneuvering in orbit and conducting more sophisticated operations.
The addition of space-focused experimentation highlights how Valiant Shield has evolved beyond traditional military drills. While the exercise continues to feature ships, aircraft and ground forces, planners are emphasizing information sharing, joint command and control networks, and the integration of commercial technologies into military operations.
Officials say space-based capabilities are essential to respond to crises from natural disasters to major combat operations across the Indo-Pacific region. This Valiant Shield is the 11th since its inception in 2006. The exercise is designed to improve interoperability among participating nations while testing their ability to detect, track and respond to threats across multiple domains. The exercise involves personnel and assets from all six branches of the U.S. military and from allied forces.
Military officials say Valiant Shield reflects the realities of modern warfare, where success depends on the ability of allied forces to share information and coordinate operations across a vast battlespace.
“Valiant Shield demonstrates our enduring commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Adm. Steve Koehler, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, said in a fleet statement. “Exercising advanced multidomain capabilities with our allies ensures we continue to seamlessly innovate and operate together, project combat power together, and prevail over any challenge — together.”
Officials say participants are training to detect, locate, track and engage targets while sustaining forces across great distances.
For Japan, which became a full participant in Valiant Shield in 2024, the exercise represents a significant opportunity to deepen coordination with the U.S. and other regional partners. Japanese forces are taking part in planning and execution activities for the second consecutive exercise, underscoring Tokyo’s growing role in regional security efforts.
In a statement, Japan’s Joint Staff said participation in the exercise will strengthen deterrence and response capabilities while improving coordination with allies and like-minded nations throughout the Indo-Pacific.
The maritime dimension of the exercise was on display even before the official start of training. The aircraft carrier USS George Washington and accompanying U.S. warships joined vessels from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in formation in the Philippine Sea.
Japanese participation includes about 4,100 personnel, 150 vehicles and 60 aircraft, the military news organization Stars and Stripes reported. The allied naval force includes the Japanese helicopter destroyer JS Kaga and the destroyer JS Fuyuzuki.
“Their presence is a visible reminder of the strength of the U.S. Japan Alliance in our shared commitment to peace, stability, across the Indo-Pacific,” Rear Adm. Eric Anduze, commander of Carrier Strike Group 5 and Task Force 70, said during a media event reported by the Pacific Daily News.
In addition, Canada is contributing naval, air and support personnel to the exercise. The Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Charlottetown is conducting anti-submarine warfare training while Canadian personnel in Guam, Hawaii and Japan are participating in planning, coordination and airfield repair activities.
“Participating in Exercise Valiant Shield provides an important opportunity for His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Charlottetown to strengthen interoperability and operate alongside our allies and partners in a complex, multidomain environment,” Cmdr. Jonathan Maurice, commanding officer of the Charlottetown, said in a statement released by Canada’s Department of National Defence.
For military leaders, Valiant Shield offers an opportunity to validate the partnerships that underpin security in one of the world’s most strategically important regions.
As Koehler said, “Exercising advanced multidomain capabilities with our allies ensures we continue to seamlessly innovate and operate together, project combat power together and prevail over any challenge — together.”