The U. S. Marine Corps and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force kicked off their annual Iron Fist Exercise this week.
On Monday, the U. S. Marine Corps and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force launched the 12th iteration of the amphibious warfare exercise Iron Fist 2017, held at Camp Pendleton and San Clemente Island in southern California.
The exercise involves 500 U. S. Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and over 250 soldiers of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force’s Western Army Infantry Regiment. According to a U. S. Pacific Command press release, the exercise will include “advanced marksmanship, amphibious reconnaissance, landing, and assault operations.”
The exercise is specifically designed to conduct combined amphibious warfare operations at the platoon, company, and battalion levels.
This year, a major emphasis will be laid on training Japanese soldiers in the use of the Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAV) 7, designed for assaults on shorelines. It can transport both naval infantry — up to 24 marines — and cargo.
