In early August, for two weeks in the northern part of Michigan in the United States, 7,000 soldiers were engaged in cross-Pacific combat training, including 500 Taiwanese soldiers. This marks the first time in over a decade that the exercise has shifted from traditional European settings to simulate scenarios in the Indo-Pacific region, reflecting the increasing focus of the Pentagon on conflicts in the Pacific region.
The exercise, named “Northern Strike,” is one of the few sponsored by the National Guard recognized by the Pentagon’s Joint National Training Capability program, requiring multiple branches of the military to collaborate in a realistic environment.
The exercise concluded last Saturday (August 16th) with over 7,500 troops participating from 36 states and territories, covering all branches except the Space Force, and involving 9 international partner countries.
On Monday (18th), the U.S. military media, Stars and Stripes, reported that this year’s exercise had a greater emphasis on maritime operations, with planners indicating plans to further expand this focus in future exercises.
The report described a scenario from the exercise where a helicopter dropped supplies into a lake, followed by three Army special forces soldiers and a Michigan State trooper retrieving the supplies from the water, after which a rigid-hull inflatable patrol boat entered Lake Huron.
The team’s mission was to recover the supplies and hand them over to another group of soldiers on a smaller boat to bring ashore. Organizers of the exercise noted that these skills could be crucial in the Indo-Pacific region in the future.
It is reported that these soldiers usually do not work on water, and this exercise tasked them with delivering supplies to troops on an island. This year’s exercise was markedly different from situations in Europe (where supplies are transported by land) or the Middle East (where the U.S. relies on large bases).
On August 5th, two B-2 bombers landed in Michigan for the first time during the “Northern Strike” exercise, conducting crew rotation exercises. They belong to the 131st Bomb Wing stationed in Missouri, the only National Guard unit equipped with nuclear weapons.
The Wing assisted in a B-2 bomber attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, drawing attention from nearby residents who watched from the fence.
“We are practicing for future wars,” said Lieutenant Chris Bishop, a spokesman for the 131st Bomb Wing, to Stars and Stripes. “We are practicing setting up tents, purifying water, and using limited communication equipment in different scenarios without our usual equipment.”
B-2 maintenance officer and senior pilot Antonio Corona said, “The operational tempo of ‘Northern Strike’ is completely different from the training at the base during peacetime.”
“We have to fly in and out, move, make sure everything is right, ensure everyone is ready,” Corona said. “It has been a great experience.”
In addition, 500 Taiwanese soldiers also participated in the exercise. Taiwan is a partner of the United States, but Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory. U.S. defense officials believe Taiwan is the most likely flashpoint for conflict in Asia.
At a briefing on August 4th, a senior official of the Michigan National Guard stated that this year, over 500 Taiwanese soldiers participated in the “Northern Strike” exercise. Their presentation slides showed that Taiwan has been sending troops to participate in this exercise at least since 2021.
When asked by Stars and Stripes for more details, a Pentagon official stated that according to long-standing policy, the Pentagon does not discuss Taiwan’s participation in U.S. exercises.
According to a report by Taiwan’s Central News Agency in 2024, “Taiwanese soldiers receiving training in Michigan is not news. However, Taiwan and the U.S. have always been unwilling to reveal the details of military cooperation. For example, in the May issue of the Mississippi National Guard’s magazine, there appeared to be photos of Taiwan military personnel during training. After inquiring about the related photos, Central News Agency removed them, and the Taiwan Army declined to comment, showing a low-key attitude.”
The report also mentioned that the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs revealed in its strategic planning that Taiwan forces will establish and train a joint service battalion to participate in the “Northern Strike” exercise in 2025.
Michigan has become a preferred location for training potential large-scale combat forces in the Asian theater of war. The joint training center of Alpena and Grayling hosted the two-week exercise where ground, air, and naval forces trained.
Colonel Todd Fitzpatrick, the leader of the land exercises for “Northern Strike,” pointed out that Michigan’s geographical location makes it particularly suitable for conducting training in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We are right in the middle of the Great Lakes, so we can replicate that island environment,” Fitzpatrick said.
Stars and Stripes reported that simulating the Indo-Pacific region background is crucial because in the event of a conflict with adversaries like Communist China, all branches of the military need to work seamlessly.
Furthermore, analysts suggest that in the event of conflict with Beijing, considering the missile capabilities of the Chinese Communist Party, large bases are easy targets for attacks, so the U.S. military would likely have to deploy in a dispersed manner on small islands and conduct covert operations.
The “Northern Strike” exercise also includes a small-scale winter training segment, focusing on combat and joint artillery fire in cold weather. It simulates how a small conflict escalates into a larger-scale summer exercise scenario.
According to officials from the Michigan National Guard speaking at a briefing on August 4th, Beijing is monitoring the exercise in Michigan.
In August 2023, five Chinese citizens studying at the University of Michigan were found taking photos near military vehicles and communication equipment at Camp Grayling after midnight.
Upon being discovered, they fled and falsely claimed to be Chinese media personnel. One student was found with two photographs of military vehicles taken at the camp in their luggage when departing, but denied any contact with U.S. military personnel or police. The other four lied during subsequent investigation by federal agents. These students left the U.S. after graduating in May 2024.
It is reported that all five students were from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and traveled to the U.S. through a collaborative program with the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan has since suspended its cooperation with Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
As early as September 2023, the FBI and Department of Defense had documented over a hundred incidents of Chinese citizens attempting unauthorized entries into U.S. military bases and other federal facilities. Similar incidents occurred in 2024.
Brigadier General Ravi Wagh, Assistant Chief of Staff for the Michigan National Guard Army, stated that the “Northern Strike” exercise will continue indefinitely focusing on the Indo-Pacific region.
“With changing national priorities… we need to make adjustments and plan for that region,” he said.
Wagh stated that while the “Northern Strike” exercise is aimed at preparing for potential conflicts in Asia, its larger goal is to prevent conflicts by demonstrating U.S. joint combat capabilities and scalability.
“I believe in deterrence, and I believe the best way to create deterrence is to have deadly capabilities in formations,” Wagh said. “I think we’ve already demonstrated some ability to build these deadly capability formations in joint forces.”