The ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command conducted the 2026 Combined Joint Sustainment Training (CJST) July 13-16 in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, and Hongcheon, Gangwon Province. CJST is a biennial combined field training exercise organized by Combined Forces Command.
This year's exercise involved more than 4,400 ROK and U.S. service members - approximately 2,400 from the Republic of Korea military and 2,000 from the U.S. military - along with approximately 600 pieces of equipment, including naval vessels and aircraft, making it the largest CJST to date.
To enhance full-domain operational sustainment capabilities, the exercise integrated five types of ground, maritime and air sustainment assets. Reflecting evolving battlefield conditions, the training also strengthened protection measures for sustainment nodes against threats such as hostile drone attacks.
Maj. Gen. Park Jin-won, assistant chief of staff for logistics, Combined Forces Command, said, "Through this year's ROK-U.S. Combined Joint Sustainment Training, we maximized our full-domain sustainment capabilities across land, sea and air. Sustainment is essential to victory in war, and we will continue conducting realistic combined exercises to strengthen the combined defense posture of the ROK-U.S. Alliance."
"In a crisis we cannot assume the ports will be there when we need them," said Maj. Gen. Frederick Crist, deputy director for logistics, Combined Forces Command. "CJLOTS proves the Alliance can move combat power across an open beach, and offloading American ships through a Korean system for the fist time shows what interoperability looks like in practice."
During the exercise, the combined medical support training event, Dragon Lift, simulated mass-casualty scenarios using ROK and U.S. medical assets to conduct casualty evacuation and trauma care operations.
Combined Forces Command will continue conducting realistic combined exercises such as CJST to maintain a strong Fight Tonight readiness posture. -30-