Over 170 British Army soldiers have taken part in a major training exercise in Japan over the last two weeks.
The British Army say here that Exercise Vigilant Isles has taken place annually for the last few years, except during the Covid pandemic.
“But this year was the first time British troops have been embedded with their Japanese counterparts during the biggest ever exercise. Previously the two nations’ troops did not fully integrate with each other while training on Honshu, the largest and most populated island in Japan. Under the umbrella of 16 Air Assault Brigade ISTAR, troops from 21 Air Assault Battery, 32 Regiment Royal Artillery deployed a Puma unmanned aircraft system (UAS) while working with a 1RGR mortar platoon.
In addition, a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC), from 7 Para Royal Horse Artillery, operated in Misawa in the far north where the soldier directed close air support from F-2 fighter jets belonging to the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF). The largest British Army unit that took part in the exercise was 1 Royal Gurkha Rifles’ (1RGR) B (Sari Bair) Company, based in Brunei, who contributed 130 troops.”
Other firsts during Exercise Vigilant Isles 23 (Ex VI23) included:
- Joint live fire training carried out by the British Army and Japanese forces.
- A British Army drone flown in Japan which directed mortar fire during live firing.
The largest British Army unit that took part in the exercise was 1 Royal Gurkha Rifles’ (1RGR) B (Sari Bair) Company, based in Brunei, who contributed 130 troops.
“This partnership began in October 2018 when the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) trained with the JGSDF on the slopes of Mount Fuji for the first Vigilant Isles exercise.
At that time, apart from the US, no foreign troops had ever conducted military exercises on Japanese soil. The increasing importance of Japan to the UK as a partner in the Indo-Pacific, and the signing of the Hiroshima Accord in May 2023, has seen the exercise grow in scope and ambition.
The British Army is a global force. One that is persistently engaged around the world, training and operating with its partners. And training to be more lethal, agile, digitised and expeditionary. The Indo-Pacific is critical to the UK’s economy, security and global ambition to support open societies. The UK is therefore deepening engagement in the region in support of shared prosperity and regional stability. Japan is one of the UK’s closest strategic partners and, by taking part in Ex VI23, the British Army has shown its commitment to enhancing this partnership.”
Before others on the site discount the value of this exercise, wish to state that a detailed account has undoubtedly been noted and logged both in Beijing and Pyongyang. Similar in geopolitical intent to the relatively recent participation of RM in SK exercise. Always pleased when the level of paranoia in the chief muppets of totalitarian regimes can be increased. 😁
Well said. This kind of exchange needs to be encouraged in the region. Perhaps next year we can start doing the very same thing with Taiwan and rebuild SEATO. But this time with some regionally deployed nuclear teeth!
Interesting listening to Yuki Tatsumi at CSIS the other day assessing just how intent Japan & South Korea are in striving to consign traditional antagonism in the light of growing Chinese / North Korean belligerence.
Indeed ensuring the greatest possible deterrent to prevent a catastrophic war in the pacific is vitally important for the whole world..most people don’t seem to consider the profound level of contagion that would come from a china, Taiwan or china Japan conflict….it would immediately suck in the U.S. ( infact it’s likely china would simply kick off with a massive attack on all US military assets in the pacific theatre as a way to gain advantage using strategic surprise as they have been practicing with mock ups of the key US navel bases)..the conflict would then slip into the two… Read more »
The danger you outline so frentically is real, and I believe the best counter is supporting Ukraine. If the US, the UK, France and Germany put aside Ukrainian budget lines for the next five years, with assurances that funding will continue beyond that should the war not be over, not only will it give Putin pause for thought, even Xi will get that the West isn’t going to get exhausted by time. Current global instability has been caused by the perception of the West as weak and indecisive. The first step to calming it all down is to demonstrate the… Read more »
That is an interesting way to justify the financing of a former privileged founding communist state, Ukraine. It’s logically sound too. Hmmm, food for thought Jonathan and Jon, thanks. The western powers must also collectively defend against our home grown domestic threats. Whilst juggling all the other issues mentioned above. Not an easy task given the transient nature of western politicians and their changing fashionable directions. Potentially after every election cycle. The CCP learned a lesson from the USSR. That sowing seeds of marxism in higher education, trade unionism and the civil service. Pays huge dividends decades later. They are… Read more »
It is certainly prudent to conduct as much research re capabilities and intent of potential opponents as feasible. Believe UKR conflict has adequately demonstrated that UK/US tactical ISR capabilities are top tier, not nearly as convinced re analytical capabilities dealing w/ strategic geopolitical matters. 🤔
Agree that Mad Vlad and the Orcs should be sent packing from UKR, but less certain that the ChiComs are not executing an at least quasi-Independent strategy. 🤔
Yes totally agreed but we don’t do we? We scurry around trying to please every little faction that decides to raise its voice whilst handing out huge chunks of cash to ensure that our ever ballooning population continues to live in the manner to which it has become accustomed. We could be so much stronger than this in every way if only we could somehow come to our senses.
Very interesting (and alarming) information presented re hardening of ChiCom economy; please provide link(s), if available. Previous articles appeared to indicate that the democracies have been somewhat successful in curbing ChiCom access in select high tech areas. Lo, mayhaps not.🤔☹️ Personal belief is that the collective democracies will enter a period of maximum vulnerability during the period from 2025-2040. By 2040 the US will have significantly updated it’s strategic triad, the UK will have deployed the Dreadnought class, increased its nuclear warhead inventory, and possibly increased defence expenditures to 2.5+%, and hopefully, the French will have produced meaningful upgrades to… Read more »
…which will have… apology, future tense required. 🙄
Future tension is assured.
Hi former, the best analysis I have read on this is ”The next major war: can the US and its Allies win against china” from Ross Babbage” it’s 40 dollars but a profoundly interesting read for anyone interests in geopolitics and geostrategy in the US china conflict. His premise is as follows: 1) the west has not taken seriously how totemic Taiwan is to china. The fact it’s been the foundation stone of Chinese nationalism for 20 years means the entire nation expects the government to reunite Taiwan with mainland china….and they as a population are prepared and ready to… Read more »
Thanks very much for the extensive exposition of Babage’s arguments! 😊 Actually privately concur w/ a majority of them. Considerably less certain when it comes to point 7.) possible nuclear exchanges. Not certain how the particular scenario would develop, but believe that an all out conventional Sino-US conflict would eventually result in a transition above the nuclear threshold. The MAD Doctrine will apply equally to PRC as it did to the former Soviet Union,. The US will cease to exist, but similarly, the same fate will befall the PRC, Russia, DPRK and probably Iran. Stress that this is a private… Read more »
Hi, yes essentially the issue is china can now negate the US nuclear arsenal with MAD. Where as before it was always open to nuclear blackmail of the US was willing to go that way (and with a bloodbath world war, I’m pretty sure the U.S. may have considered nuclear blackmail..who would not)… I therefore don’t believe China or the U.S. would go nuclear…MAD prevents it…and neither side would be facing annihilation from invasion..so why go nuclear…it’s the one thing about that potential war..the enemies would be separated and essentially losing would be catastrophic but not involve annihilation…so I don’t… Read more »
What makes you think the PL A will fight with the same fanaticism as say the Taliban and other religous forces?.Just because there is a lot of pro PLA information about doesnt mean that they are willing to fight for the force most of them have feared all their lives. This is a case of ‘what goes aro7nd comes around’
What most people don’t get about china is that it a profoundly close to what nazi germany was. The nation has been sculpted by its leaders to create a cult of Han exceptionalism. The culture is created through the education and media. It’s a nation of believers in the greatness of China. But we are not talking about fanatical fighters here we at talking about a nation’s willingness to suffer. China has very much prepared its population to suffer, suffer loss of income, reduction in food availability. Consider how the population of the UK has to suffer during WW2…the Chinese’s… Read more »
Exactly. This is time and money well spent. More please!
Well said, NATO+ is the strongest military force on the planet and we should encourage more members to train together in a wider context than just leaving it all to the USA.