By Wang Mingzhi

The Bushido Guardian 25 joint exercise, conducted by Japan, the US, and Australia, concluded on October 10. A total of 24 F-35A stealth fighters from the three countries participated, marking the second trilateral joint training involving F-35A aircraft this year. The exercise displayed three notable features.

First, it highlighted the trilateral coordination among Japan, the US, and Australia. The joint military drills among the three nations have become an important platform for showcasing military strength, reinforcing deterrence, and consolidating alliance relations.

Second, the exercise emphasized the use of fifth-generation fighter jets, focusing on coordinated offensive and defensive tactics in air combat, joint operational support, and integrated command and control. This indicates that in future conflicts in the Western Pacific, the F-35 fighter jets will serve not only as the main air combat force but also as a core element of multi-domain operations, which is a key reason behind their rapidly expanding deployment.

Third, the exercise emphasized the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept. Both Japan and Australia have fully adopted the US military’s ACE concept. Through repeated drills, they aim to ensure that their air forces, particularly stealth air power, are difficult for adversaries to detect and target during ground deployment, while also avoiding preemptive suppression before taking flight. This demonstrates the clear intent of Japan, the US, and Australia to accelerate preparations for high-end air combat.

Through defense cooperation, the three nations have established a complete air combat exercises framework. Implemented progressively year by year, this framework achieves multiple objectives: demonstrating military strength, maintaining combat readiness, familiarizing forces with the battlefield, refining procedures, and enhancing coordination.

The US is building a security network among its Asia-Pacific allies, stretching from Japan in the north to Australia in the south, in an attempt to form a military architecture directed at the Western Pacific and Northeast Asia, one that features a “north-light, south-heavy” posture, and possesses greater resilience and strategic depth. In this system, Japan will play a key role in frontline deterrence and serve as a buffer. This constitutes the core message being sent by the Bushido Guardian 25 exercise.

Under the pretext of so-called trilateral security cooperation, Japan, the US, and Australia have built a joint exercise system centered on stealth fighter operations, bearing clear deterrent and offensive connotations. This reveals their unabated pursuit of military buildup for high-end warfare, which will inevitably destabilize regional power equilibrium and mutual security confidence.

The series of trilateral joint exercises conducted by Japan, the US, and Australia has disrupted the existing regional military balance and further complicated the regional security landscape. Such actions will intensify antagonism in the region, erode the foundation of mutual trust among countries, and undermine efforts toward regional security cooperation and stability. They also pose obstacles to resolving regional issues through dialogue and consultation.

Editor's Note: Originally published on military.cnr.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.