U.S. Marines and Japanese ground forces have conducted explosive ordnance disposal training in Okinawa as part of Exercise Keen Sword 2027, strengthening their ability to respond to explosive hazards during combined military operations.
The training involved Marines assigned to the 3rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, working alongside members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). The activity formed part of the broader U.S.-Japan exercise running from October 19 to 29, 2026.
The U.S. Department of War described the activity as an effort to sharpen the forces’ explosive disposal skills. Although the department’s original article could not be independently retrieved during this research, the unit identification and training context are consistent with available reporting on the exercise.
The training matters because explosive hazards can disrupt military movement, damage infrastructure and threaten personnel during operations in contested environments. Joint procedures help ensure that American and Japanese personnel can coordinate their responses when operating together.
Explosive ordnance disposal supports combined operations
Explosive ordnance disposal, commonly abbreviated EOD, involves identifying, assessing and dealing with hazardous munitions and explosive devices. These may include unexploded ammunition, abandoned ordnance and other explosive threats encountered during military operations.
For forces operating across Japan’s southwestern islands, EOD capability supports activities such as securing landing areas, clearing routes, protecting installations and restoring access to facilities affected by explosive hazards.
The practical challenge extends beyond the technical work of disposing of an explosive device. Personnel from different services and countries must communicate effectively, establish safe working areas, coordinate access and share information without creating additional risks for nearby troops.
Training together allows participating forces to practice those procedures before a real emergency occurs. It also helps identify differences in equipment, terminology and operating methods that could complicate a combined response.
Keen Sword provides a setting for that work alongside broader exercises involving ground, air and maritime forces.
Keen Sword 2027 expands the scope of alliance training
The explosive ordnance disposal activity took place within a larger exercise involving U.S. and Japanese forces across Japan. According to Australia’s Department of Defence, Keen Sword 2027 involved approximately 45,000 Japanese personnel and 11,000 U.S. personnel, alongside around 40 vessels and 260 aircraft. Australia also deployed personnel and military assets, while several other partner countries participated.
The U.S.-Japan exercise is designed to improve interoperability and readiness through realistic training. Its activities cover multiple operational areas, including maritime operations, air and missile defense, logistics, and the movement and reinforcement of forces across Japan’s island chain.
For explosive ordnance disposal specialists, this wider operational setting is important. Explosive hazards can affect the movement of troops and equipment, restrict access to facilities and complicate efforts to establish safe operating areas. Coordination between EOD teams and other military units is therefore an important part of preparing for combined operations.
The exercise also gives the two militaries opportunities to improve their ability to work together under demanding conditions, rather than relying solely on established procedures that might differ between national forces.
Why the training matters for Japan’s southwestern islands
Japan’s southwestern islands occupy a strategically important position between the main Japanese islands and Taiwan. The United States and Japan have increasingly emphasized the ability to move, sustain and coordinate forces across dispersed locations in the region.
Keen Sword 2027 includes activities designed to test that ability. The U.S. Naval Institute’s reporting on the exercise identifies island defense, reinforcement by sea and air, and the deployment of ground-based missile systems among its central training areas.
Explosive ordnance disposal is a supporting capability within this broader framework. If unexploded ammunition or other explosive hazards restrict access to a landing area, road or military installation, specialized personnel may be needed before other forces can operate safely.
Joint training helps establish how those teams communicate with local commanders, coordinate their activities and support other units. However, the available information does not establish that the specific EOD training described by the Department of War involved an operational clearance mission or the removal of actual battlefield ordnance.
The distinction matters. Training can improve familiarity and coordination, but a single exercise does not by itself demonstrate how effectively forces would respond to every type of explosive threat in combat.
A practical measure of U.S.-Japan readiness
The value of this training lies in the operational tasks it supports. Explosive ordnance disposal specialists help reduce risks from hazardous munitions, while cooperation between American and Japanese personnel can make combined responses more organized.
Keen Sword 2027 provides a wider framework for testing the U.S.-Japan alliance across multiple military functions. The EOD activity represents one part of that effort, supporting the personnel and procedures needed to sustain operations when explosive hazards threaten access or movement.
The available reporting does not disclose detailed performance results from the EOD training. Its immediate significance is therefore best understood as readiness preparation, rather than evidence of a newly introduced capability or a measurable change in either military’s operational strength.
