Exercise Sea Dragon 2026

Exercise Sea Dragon Latest News

The Indian Navy along with multiple partner nations is participating in Exercise Sea Dragon 2026, a United States Navy-led multinational anti-submarine warfare drill.

About Exercise Sea Dragon

• It is a United States Navy-led multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) drill conducted annually to strengthen maritime security and cooperation among allied nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
• It has been held annually since 2019 at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam in the Western Pacific.
• Participating countries deploy long-range maritime patrol aircraft, such as the P-8 Poseidon.
• It provides a structured environment to test interoperability between near-identical platforms operated by different nations, standardizing data links, communication protocols, and tactical procedures that would be essential in any real-world combined ASW operation.
• Sea Dragon 2026:
  • The exercise includes forces from the United States Navy, the Indian Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
  • Participants will be challenged on speed, accuracy, and coordinated mission execution, strengthening ASW proficiency and enhancing interoperability among partner forces. 
  • It advances aircrew proficiency in ASW by progressing from track-simulated targets to detecting and tracking a live submarine.
  • During the exercise, each event is graded, and the nation scoring the highest total points will receive the coveted Dragon Belt award.

Source: HBL

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