Allied Fleet Drills Kick Off Valiant Shield 2026 and RIMPAC in the Western Pacific

A week of major Western Pacific maneuvers sees the US-led Valiant Shield 2026 and Rim of the Pacific 2026 unfold with carrier strike groups, submarines, and advanced unmanned systems, involving Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and other partners across Guam, Japan, the CNMI, and the Indian Ocean. The drills feature anti-submarine warfare, air and missile defense, joint air operations, and interoperability tests, set against continued regional tensions from China, Russia, and North Korea, as well as related transit and maneuver activities by PLAN, JMSDF, and allied forces.