Seoul: South Korea, the United States, and Japan have commenced a five-day joint military exercise named Freedom Edge, taking place in international waters east and south of South Korea's Jeju Island. The exercise proceeds on schedule despite recent reductions in Seoul-Washington drills following an order by U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) released a statement indicating that the exercise aims to enhance operational and joint response capabilities across multiple domains, including maritime, air, and cyber. The drills are set to involve significant maritime and air assets from the three countries' armed forces, with a joint exercise control group ensuring systematic and safe execution.
The JCS emphasized that the annual drill is defensive, adhering to international laws and norms. It aims to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities against North Korean nuclear and missile threats and safeguard regional peace and stability. Despite the recent scaling back of the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise between South Korea and the U.S., this year's Freedom Edge, its fourth iteration, remains on schedule.
The UFS was halved after President Trump ordered a reduction, apparently as a conciliatory gesture towards North Korea, which has historically criticized the allies' military exercises as war rehearsals. The JCS did not specify the military assets involved in Freedom Edge, though sources suggest it is comparable in scope to previous years.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the three countries will deploy six Aegis-equipped destroyers, maritime patrol aircraft, fighter jets, and refueling tanker aircraft. South Korea's Navy will deploy the ROKS Yulgok Yi I and ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong destroyers. Japan's Self-Defense Forces will contribute with the Atago and Asahi destroyers, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters, and fighter jets.
The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet indicated the participation of the Arleigh Burke-class USS Benfold, which recently arrived in Busan. Notably, a U.S. aircraft carrier is not expected to join this year's exercise, as U.S. carrier strike groups remain deployed in the Middle East due to ongoing conflicts with Iran.
Plans for the 2026 Freedom Edge were announced by the U.S. Pacific Command, highlighting enhanced real-time data sharing and synchronized coordination among the three nations, with improved air defense and maritime interdiction scenarios. The second and third iterations of Freedom Edge took place in November 2024 and September of the previous year, respectively.