Japan, the Republic of Korea, and United States will execute the second iteration of exercise Freedom Edge, a trilateral multi-domain exercise, Nov. 13, 2024.

Freedom Edge continues to demonstrate the defensive posture and unbreakable will of Japan, the ROK, and the U.S. to promote trilateral multi-domain interoperability and to protect freedom for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, including the Korean Peninsula.

This exercise builds upon the inaugural execution of Freedom Edge, which was conducted in June among the three partner nations, as agreed to at the Camp David Summit in August 2023.

Freedom Edge 24-2 aligns to and operates in accordance with the Memorandum of Cooperation on the Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework, signed during the trilateral ministerial meeting in July.

At the signing, the defense leaders recalled their enduring commitment to strengthen trilateral security cooperation to deter escalating nuclear and missile threats posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). 

Ships and aircrafts from the Japan, the ROK, and the U.S., participate in the exercise to include: Japan’s JS HAGURO, P-3, F-15, F-2 and E-767; Republic of Korea’s ROKS Seoae-Ryu-Seong-ryong, ROKS  Chungmugong-Yi-Sun-sin, P-3, F-35 and F-15; and the United States’ USS George Washington, USS Higgins, USS Dewey, P-8, F-35, F-18s and KC-135.

This iteration demonstrates state-of-the-art air defense capabilities with the integration of 5^th generation fighters into a sophisticated multi-domain defense infrastructure. Their incorporation into complex Ballistic Missile Defense, Air Defense, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare, Maritime Interdiction, and Defensive Cyber trainings, ensures that their combined military and self-defense forces can operate together at the highest level against any threat.

The three countries will continue to closely cooperate to further expand their cooperation in a complex security environment.