OKINAWA, Japan – Sailors assigned to the America Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), along with members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), celebrated the completion of the 17th iteration of Exercise Iron Fist in a ceremony held on the flight deck of JMSDF landing ship tank JS Ohsumi (LST 4001), March 12.

Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, JGSDF, and JMSDF. This iteration marked the first time the exercise was held in Japan and featured the additional integration of the JMSDF.

“Our allies are one of our greatest assets,” said Capt. Kelly Fletcher, commodore, Amphibious Squadron 11. “Exercises like this are how we invest in strengthening those relationships at the tactical level and collectively sharpen our swords to ensure we have the required skill-sets needed to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Over the course of the exercise, ships assigned to the ARG coordinated and executed operations with the JMSDF to include formation sailing with Ohsumi and other JMSDF ships, visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercises, and joint flight operations with JGSDF aircraft.

The America ARG, comprised of amphibious assault carrier USS America (LHA 6), amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20), amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), under the operational command of Amphibious Squadron 11 are underway conducting routine integrated operations in U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.