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An aircraft carrier, two destroyers, a submarine, and accompanying aircraft form part of a major Japanese military force set to deploy to the Indo-Pacific for an international exercise.
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has confirmed its participation in Indo-Pacific Deployment 2022 – scheduled to take place from 13 June to 28 October.
The exercise is designed to preserve a “free and open Indo-Pacific” while strengthening interoperability between regional partners.
This is expected to involve joint cooperation across a range of military exercises.
The JMSDF’s contribution includes:
- Izumo Class Light aircraft carrier JS Izumo;
- Takanami Class destroyer JS Takanami;
- Murasame Class destroyer JS Kirisame;
- Sōryū Class submarine;
- Kawasaki P-1 patrol aircraft;
- UP-3D Orion anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft; and
- Shinmaywa US-2 amphibious aircraft.
Japan’s contingent is expected to total just under 1,000 personnel.
The JMSDF’s deployments come as the Royal Australian Navy participates in Exercise Kakadu – a major multinational exercise involving a host of personnel and platforms from nations across the Indo-Pacific.
Throughout the 30-year history of the exercise, participants have included the United States, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.
The first iteration in 1993 involved four navies, 15 ships and submarines, and approximately 2,000 personnel.
[Related; HMAS Parramatta embarks on regional deployment ]
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