Amphibious Exercise ARC 21 Underway with Australia, France, Japan, United States

Amphibious Exercise ARC 21 Underway with Australia, France, Japan, United States
San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD 18), joined by the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154), the French Navy’s amphibious assault helicopter carrier FS Tonnerre (L9014), and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Ōsumi class tank landing ship JS Ōsumi, transit together during exercise Jeanne D’Arc 21 (ARC-21), off the coast of Kagoshima, Japan, May 14, 2021. ARC-21 is an opportunity for U.S., French, Japanese and Australian forces to share experiences, tactics, and best practices to sharpen their skills together. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Justin J. Marty)
Amphibious exercise ARC 21 kicked off on 12 May 2021 with the Royal Australian Navy, Marine Nationale, JMSDF and US Navy in waters off the coast of Kagoshima, Japan. ARC 21 is an opportunity for Australian, French, Japanese and American forces to share experiences, tactics, and best practices to sharpen their skills together.
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This exercise brings together service members from each nation’s military in a combined effort to enhance interoperability in pursuit of common regional security goals. Service members from participating units plan, coordinate and conduct operations over land and at sea.

Vessels from each navy will plan and prepare amphibious landings and air assaults while also conducting formation maneuvers, air defense exercises and communication drills.

The culminating events are scheduled to include surveillance and insertion of forces via JSDF CH-47 Chinook helicopters from French Mistral-class amphibious assault ship Tonnerre (L9014), followed by a helicopter-borne assault via U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys from USS New Orleans. Once all forces are together on the ground they will begin an assault on a shared objective.

ARC 21 RAN JMSDF Marine Nationale US Navy
San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD 18), joined by the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154), the French Navy’s amphibious assault helicopter carrier FS Tonnerre (L9014), and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Ōsumi class tank landing ship JS Ōsumi, transit together during exercise Jeanne D’Arc 21 (ARC-21), off the coast of Kagoshima, Japan, May 14, 2021. ARC-21 is an opportunity for U.S., French, Japanese and Australian forces to share experiences, tactics, and best practices to sharpen their skills together. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Justin J. Marty)

ARC21 Participating units

JMSDF units

  • Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182),
  • Atago-class guided missile destroyer JS Ashigara (DDG-178),
  • Asahi-class destroyer JS Asahi (DD-119),
  • Kongō-class guided missile destroyer JS Kongō (DDG-173)
  • Ōsumi-class landing ship tank JS Ōsumi (LST 4001)
  • Hayabusa-class patrol boats JS Ōtaka (PG-826) and JS Shirataka (PG-829),
  • an unnamed submarine

In addition, JGSDF units (Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade and Western Air Defense Force CH-47JA, AH-64) and JASDF units (Western Air Defense Force F-2) will also take part in the training.

US Navy units

  • San Antonio-class landing platform dock USS New Orleans (LPD-18),
  • P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft,
  • MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft,

French Navy units

  • Mistral-class LHD Tonnerre (L9014)
  • La Fayette-class Frigate Surcouf (F 711)

Royal Australian Navy unit

  • Anzac-class frigate Parramatta (FFH 154)

“The JMSDF has started the joint exercise “ARC21″ with the Royal Australian Navy, French Navy, and the US Navy, strengthening defense cooperation, to realize a Free and Open IndoPacific. Landing exercise for the defense of remote islands is planned as a part of ARC21 with JMSDF ships, maritime patrol aicraft, and submarine.”



JMSDF statement on Twitter

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