
Japan Sub Torpedo Sinks Decommissioned US Ship in Valiant Shield Live-Fire Drill
During Valiant Shield 2026, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine torpedoed and sank the U.S. Navy’s decommissioned USS Juneau (LPD-10) about 200 nautical miles off the Mariana Islands, as part of a live-fire SINKEX involving the U.S., Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The Juneau, in service from 1969 to 2008, was used as a training target after an environmental cleanup, with officials calling the exercise a showcase of joint capabilities and lethal precision across domains.
