# U.S. and Japan Conduct Keen Sword Exercise

U.S. Pacific Command Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. George B. Rowell visited Japan October 18–21, 2026, for the opening of Keen Sword 2027 and meetings with U.S. and Japanese leaders. The October 19–29 exercise involves approximately 45,000 Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel and 11,000 U.S. service members, along with other participating nations, and exercises air and missile defense, logistics, facility resilience, casualty evacuation, maritime operations, and multi-domain integration. The announcement identifies no procurement, contract, funding, or solicitation opportunity, so it is operational context rather than a current bid opportunity for industry.

- The exercise highlights capabilities relevant to defense suppliers, including air and missile defense, logistics, resilient facilities, and multi-domain operations, but does not specify requirements, quantities, or acquisition plans.
- Contractors can use the exercise’s stated operational focus areas as context for understanding U.S.-Japan defense priorities; the signal itself does not support a specific pursuit or proposal action.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** October 23, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM)
- Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF)
- Japan Ministry of Defense
- Japan Joint Staff
- JSDF Joint Operations Command (JJOC)

### Sources
- [
	U.S. Pacific Command deputy commander visits Japan, highlights combined readiness > U.S. Pacific Command > Press Releases and Readout view
](https://www.pacom.mil/Media/Press-Releases-and-Readouts/Press-Releases-and-Readout-view/Article/4632056/us-pacific-command-deputy-commander-visits-japan-highlights-combined-readiness/) - Pacom