PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – After 10 days of rigorous multi-domain training, the 11th iteration and 20-year anniversary of Exercise Valiant Shield came to a close July 1, 2026, having successfully integrated combined, joint and multilateral operations across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.
Valiant Shield 2026 (VS26) is a multinational, biennial field training exercise focused on interoperability training in a multi-domain environment. This training builds real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces through detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging units at sea, in the air, in space, on land, and in cyberspace.
The exercise took place in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Japan, and at sea around the Mariana Islands Range Complex.
"What we promised in preparation, we proved in execution,” said Rear Adm. Jay Clark, the VALIANT SHIELD 26 Exercise Control Group Director. “Over 10 days of intensive, high-end operations, Valiant Shield demonstrated that our alliance is not just a partnership on paper, but a formidable, unified force. By integrating our multinational allies and seamlessly executing complex maneuvers across every domain, we have proven our collective readiness to rapidly respond to any crisis and defend our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
This year the exercise involved a tri-lateral anti-submarine warfare exercise, high altitude balloon (HAB) launch, MQ-28 Ghost Bat flight, bi-lateral medical operations, bi-lateral resupply and cross-decking, expeditionary reload and a live fire of the medium-range intercept capability. All of the evolutions focused on integration between U.S., allied and partner forces at the operational and tactical level, while interoperating in realistic, contested environments.
The pinnacle event was the sinking exercise (SINKEX) of the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Juneau (LPD 10) in the Philippine Sea, June 27. The SINKEX brought together air, surface, and subsurface assets in coordinated strikes, allowing crews to sharpen critical skills in weapons employment and target engagement under realistic conditions that no simulator can fully replicate.
The exercise united all branches of the U.S. military alongside international allies to hone multi-domain operations. By integrating U.S. Space Command and U.S. Transportation Command, VS26 advanced the high-level collaboration required for complex global missions. This training ensures the combined force is highly adaptable and prepared to manage any contingency in the region, from disaster response to combat.
Lessons learned from this year’s iteration are already driving the planning for Valiant Shield 2028, reinforcing the U.S. joint force and key ally and partner’s ongoing commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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