Thousands of military personnel from Indonesia, the United States, and eight other countries began a two-week joint military exercise on Monday (August 26), focusing on enhancing joint combat capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. This exercise comes at a time when tensions are escalating in the region due to maritime sovereignty disputes between China and coastal countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
The joint military exercise named “Super Garuda Shield” this year saw the participation of army, air force, and navy personnel from friendly countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Participating countries included host Indonesia, the United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Thailand, South Korea, France, and New Zealand.
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) announced on social media platform X that Major General Joseph Harris, commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard, and TNI Deputy Commander Widyargo Ikoputra jointly presided over the opening ceremony.
The joint military exercise will take place in Surabaya and Sidoarjo in East Java, Jakarta, and South Sumatra. Canada, Brazil, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, India, and East Timor are participating as observers.
The Indonesian military revealed that over 4,400 soldiers were deployed to participate, along with approximately 1,800 U.S. troops and hundreds of personnel from other countries.
Major General Harris stated that since its inception in 2007, the exercise has evolved into a “world-class joint/multinational event aimed at enhancing our collective capabilities.”
The 2024 joint exercise includes scenarios such as airborne operations, logistical support services, joint strikes, field training exercises, simulated ground warfare, and amphibious operations.
It also encompasses joint exercises to address cyber threats. Indonesia has faced several cyber attacks in recent years, including a significant one in June that disrupted various government services, including the national data center and major airport operations.
Deputy Commander Ikoputra, on behalf of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, expressed gratitude to all participating organizations, stating that the joint exercise is a way to build trust and strengthen bilateral and multilateral relationships.