Summer military exercises and forces will flood the islands

Among several U.S. and multi-national military exercises this year in and around Guam, the Mariana Islands and other islands in Micronesia, a new large-scale Air Force exercise will take place in and around Guam.

Resolute Force Pacific or REFORPAC’s dates are from July 9 to Aug. 9. REFORPAC will bring 300 U.S. aircraft and personnel, as well as “partner nations” to participate in 25 locations in the Pacific. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands will be among locations to see participants.

REFORPAC will also dovetail with the Talisman Sabre training event in Australia and Papua New Guinea from July 13 to Aug. 4, and aside from U.S. and Australian forces will include 19 partner nations, the Australian Department of Defense said.

Other exercises due to take place are Pacific Vanguard: a U.S. Navy exercise with partner nations held around the Mariana Islands.

Malabar is the annual naval drill between what is known as “the Quad nations” of Australia, India, Japan and the United States.

Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces; “reinforced PACAF’s focus on warfighting effectiveness, lethality, and readiness,” according to PACAF.  

“The Air Force wants to populate the Indo-Pacific with dispersed operating locations to support [Agile Combat Employment …], but we also need to invest heavily in resilient infrastructure at main operating bases," he said at a Warfare Symposium on March 4.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force on April 21 launched its “Indo-Pacific deployment” of five ships, submarines and a maritime patrol aircraft.  During the deployment until Nov. 21, among other exercises Japanese forces will participate in Pacific Vanguard in the Mariana Islands, also held with partner nations, and will also take part in the U.S. 2025 Pacific Partnership, according to an April 15 release.

Countries that will be visited during the Pacific Partnership – a longtime humanitarian mission that most recently offers medical services - this year include the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau and “the United States of America,” the release said.