The Combined Forces Command (CFC) of South Korea and the United States announced on Wednesday, July 15, that the two militaries have conducted the “2026 Joint Logistics Support Exercise” in the areas of Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Hongchun, Gangwon-do, from July 13 to 16. This exercise marks the largest scale ever recorded.
According to reports from South Korean media, the “Combined Joint Sustainment Training” (CJST) is a biennial joint field mobility training conducted by the CFC to enhance the continuous operational capabilities of troops in the event of sudden situations on the Korean Peninsula. The main focus of the exercise is to practice the smooth process of deploying personnel, equipment, fuel, and other military supplies to operational units.
This year’s exercise involved over 4,400 military personnel (more than 2,400 from the South Korean military and over 2,000 from the US military) and more than 600 weapons and equipment, including ships and helicopters, making it the largest-scale exercise in history.
Utilizing South Korea’s amphibious support system inaugurated by the navy last year, the exercise involved unloading equipment and supplies from US ships to land, thereby verifying the interoperability of the logistical support systems between the South Korean and US militaries. Supplies arriving in Pohang were promptly transported to frontline operational units via land, rail, air transport, among other methods. The exercise also simulated a scenario with 110 injured personnel in coastal and inland areas, conducting a joint medical support exercise.
Major General Park Jinwon, the Chief of Staff for Logistics and Supply at the CFC, stated that through this exercise, the military logistics support capabilities in the sea, land, and air domains were significantly enhanced. Support capabilities are crucial for ensuring victory in warfare, and future joint combat exercises will further solidify the South Korea-US joint defense posture.
Major General Frederick Crist, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Supply at the CFC, noted that the exercise proved that the South Korean and US militaries can deploy combat forces on coasts without ports or with damaged ports. Additionally, it was the first time the South Korean system was utilized to unload cargo from US ships, confirming the substantial interoperability between the two forces.