Committed to solving problems together

Australia, Japan and the US worked through complex military problems for large-scale combat operations during Exercise Yama Sakura 91.

About 340 ADF personnel, alongside 1400 US Army, 350 US Marine Corps and 4000 Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) personnel, trained in a contested and multifaceted warfighting scenario in the command post exercise, which started on September 2.

RAAF electronics engineer and Japanese linguist FLGOFF Jake Campbell said while the subject matter was complex, each meeting was an opportunity to reinforce shared intent and demonstrate how Australian multi-domain capabilities complemented those of the other participants. 

“Working across languages, it is clear we share a commitment to solving warfighting problems together,” FLGOFF Campbell said.

“This is interoperability … training as a trilateral partnership to enhance our collective security. 

“Our planning processes may differ, however, the common thread we can draw is that we are all working to ensure accurate and rapid military decision-making.” 

WO2 Adam Blaxland, from the Combat Training Centre, said sensors, command and control and the speed of acquiring target information were critical in gaining military advantage.

“Exercise Yama Sakura is testing 1 (Australian) Division's headquarters – its combined arms, fires, sustainment and medical systems – but also how we adapt through lessons learned,” WO2 Blaxland said.

“Through our training review and assessment process, we evaluate and implement lessons in how we treat modern threats such as drones, surveillance and strike systems.

“Trilateral training, assessment and feedback enhances our ability to conduct multi-domain operations so we are ready to ‘fight tonight’.”