Military exercise with soldiers, advanced vehicles, and helicopters in a desert landscape.
Analytics and Reports, Military Analytics, Trade Show Analytics

Intelligence Assessment: Global Military Tradeshows and Exercises (June 28 – July 4, 2026)

1.0 Executive Summary

The strategic, technological, and operational landscape observed across global military exercises and defense tradeshows during the June 28 to July 4, 2026 period indicates a shift toward integrated multi-domain operations, autonomous logistical sustainment, and unified command and control architectures.1 Global military postures are bifurcating based on regional threat assessments. In the Indo-Pacific theater, military exercises such as Valiant Shield 2026, Rim of the Pacific 2026, and Freedom Edge demonstrate large-scale force projection intended to deter peer adversaries.4 These maritime and aerospace operations focus on live-fire lethality, the expeditionary deployment of advanced air defense systems, and the integration of artificial intelligence for unmanned surface and subsurface operations.2

Conversely, in the European and Black Sea theaters, operations are influenced by the immediate realities of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the risk of direct, kinetic confrontation with the Russian Federation.1 Exercises such as Breeze 2026 in the Black Sea prioritize logistical mobility, terrain denial, and command-and-staff tabletop formats over visible naval deployments.1 This doctrine mitigates the risk of accidental escalation while navigating geopolitical constraints such as the Montreux Convention, which limits allied maritime access to the region.1 Concurrently, domestic operations in the United States and South America emphasize integrated airspace security and combined multinational air superiority.

Technologically, the reporting period is defined by the operationalization of autonomous systems and distributed manufacturing.3 The deployment of mid-tier intercept capabilities in Guam, synchronized through a unified command network, and the testing of autonomous resupply vessels during naval exercises highlight an effort by allied forces to close capability gaps in contested logistics and integrated air defense.2 Interoperability remains the primary operational hurdle across all theaters, requiring trilateral and multinational frameworks to ensure that disparate national assets can share targeting data, coordinate electronic warfare, and sustain forward-deployed forces in communications-denied environments.9

1.1 Summary Table of Key Events and Lessons Learned

Event NameEvent TypeLocation & DatesKey Lessons Learned
Africa Land Forces Forum (ALFF) 2026Tradeshow / ExpoPort Harcourt, Nigeria (July 4 – 6, 2026)African land forces require the integration of digital battlefield tools and sovereign unmanned aerial systems to counter asymmetric border threats.
Valiant Shield 2026Military ExerciseGuam, Marianas, Japan (June 22 – July 1, 2026)Unified command and control architectures successfully link disparate defense systems; stealth bombers demonstrate combined kill-web lethality.
RIMPAC 2026Military ExerciseHawaii, Pacific Ocean (June 24 – July 31, 2026)Autonomous surface vessels and distributed advanced manufacturing at the tactical edge provide solutions for sustaining contested logistics across maritime distances.
Combat Power 26Military ExerciseCroatia (June 23 – July 1, 2026)Allied ground forces integrate mechanized infantry and short-range air defense with host-nation coastal defense and aviation assets.
Freedom Edge 2026Military ExerciseEast Asia (Late June 2026)Trilateral integration of fifth-generation fighters and ballistic missile defense supports responses to regional nuclear and missile threats.
Breeze 2026Military ExerciseBlack Sea, Bulgaria (June 30 – July 30, 2026)High-threat environments necessitate a shift from physical surface fleet deployments to cyber-focused and command-staff exercises to prevent direct escalation.
Resolute Sentinel – Salitre 2026Military ExerciseAntofagasta, Chile (June 28 – July 12, 2026)Multinational air exercise validating combined operations, airspace control, and cyber defense across South American and allied forces.
Falcon VirgoMilitary ExerciseWashington D.C., USA (June 30 – July 2, 2026)Routine air defense and interception exercise testing airspace security over the National Capital Region.
Dacia 26Military ExerciseRomania (June – July 2026)National tactical-level exercises integrate land, air, and special operations forces to improve allied response capabilities on the eastern flank.

2.0 Details: Military Tradeshows and Defense Expos

2.1 Africa Land Forces Forum (ALFF) 2026

The third iteration of the Africa Land Forces Forum (ALFF), previously known as the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEC), is being held in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, from July 4 to July 6, 2026. Hosted under the patronage of the Nigerian Army and aligned with the 163rd Nigerian Army Day Celebrations (NADCEL), the event serves as a major land forces gathering on the African continent. The event attracted delegates and senior military officials from more than forty countries, including the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff and the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Staff.

The technological parameters of ALFF 2026 maintain a focus on systems tailored for asymmetric warfare, counter-insurgency, and the protection of critical national infrastructure.11 The exhibition emphasizes Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance platforms, highlighting the deployment of ruggedized unmanned aerial drones and satellite communication systems designed for austere environments.11 Demonstrations focus on digitized battlefield tools that provide rapid-response mechanisms for border enforcement and the mitigation of organized banditry.13 Cybersecurity and electronic warfare contractors present frameworks for developing resilient digital networks capable of countering unauthorized commercial drones frequently utilized by insurgent factions, integrating secure border governance and traveler identification biometrics.14

The primary intelligence takeaway from ALFF 2026 is the acceleration of force modernization across African land armies. Military leaders on the continent are shifting toward digitally integrated forces.13 There is a procurement priority for systems that offer real-time situational awareness and data-driven decision-making.11 Furthermore, the conference underscores a strategic shift toward defense industrial cooperation.11 Regional militaries are seeking technology transfer agreements to establish sovereign manufacturing and maintenance capabilities, attempting to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains for critical defense hardware.11

3.0 Details: Military Exercises

3.1 Exercise Valiant Shield 2026

Exercise Valiant Shield 2026, representing the eleventh iteration of the biennial training event, concluded within the reporting window on July 1, 2026.9 Directed by the United States Pacific Command, the exercise was conducted across the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Japan, and the surrounding Mariana Islands Range Complex.4 The stated objective was to build proficiency in sustaining joint forces by detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging hostile units across sea, air, space, land, and cyberspace in a contested environment.9 The exercise integrated the United States military branches with allied forces, including Japan, incorporating the United States Space Command and United States Transportation Command.9

A prominent event of Valiant Shield was a coordinated live-fire sinking exercise targeting the decommissioned amphibious transport dock USS Juneau, conducted over two hundred nautical miles off the coast of Guam in the Philippine Sea.9 The sinking exercise demonstrated multi-domain kill-web integration.9 A United States Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber deployed an AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, representing a publicly confirmed instance of the stealth bomber utilizing this specific standoff munition against a maritime target in a field exercise.18 Concurrently, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine fired torpedoes at the vessel, while F-35C Lightning II aircraft and F/A-18 Super Hornets provided strike integration.16

Additionally, Valiant Shield 2026 featured the operational evaluation of the Medium-Range Intercept Capability air defense system by the Third Marine Expeditionary Force at the Mason Live Fire Training Range Complex in Guam.20 The system, utilizing Tamir interceptors derived from Israel’s Iron Dome and delivered to the Marine Corps in May 2026, was integrated into a unified command and control battlespace picture developed by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works.220 This architecture linked the Marine Corps system with United States Army Patriot batteries and Marine Air Defense Integrated Systems to protect military hubs.2 The exercise also executed a flight of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat unmanned aircraft, high-altitude balloon launches, and trilateral anti-submarine warfare drills.9

Diagram of the GAM defense system

The intelligence derived from Exercise Valiant Shield highlights advancements in joint force readiness.2 The deployment of the Medium-Range Intercept Capability addresses a vulnerability in expeditionary air defense, providing engagement capabilities for threats existing beyond the short range of standard man-portable systems but inside the optimal envelope of the Patriot system.20 The command and control integration demonstrates that isolated service-branch technologies can be fused to automate engagements against long-range missile and drone threats.2 The sinking exercise validated the doctrine of distributed lethality, indicating that allied forces can synthesize targeting data between high-altitude stealth aviation and subsurface assets to neutralize maritime threats.9

3.2 Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026

The thirtieth iteration of the RIMPAC exercise commenced on June 24 and is actively operating through July 31, 2026.22Hosted by the Commander of the United States Third Fleet, operations are centered in and around the Hawaiian Islands.24The international maritime exercise features a deployment comprising thirty participating nations, more than forty surface ships, five submarines, over two hundred six aircraft, and thirty thousand military personnel.23Operating under the theme “Partners: Integrated and Prepared,” the objective is to foster cooperative relationships vital for maritime security while executing multi-domain warfighting scenarios.23The Australian Defence Force utilized the exercise to validate its 2026 National Defence Strategy aimed at protecting maritime approaches.28The Indian Navy deployed a P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to enhance interoperability.27For the first time in the history of the exercise, a South Korean admiral is commanding the combined naval component of the drills. South Korea deployed its newest Aegis destroyer, the ROKS Jeongjo the Great, alongside a submarine, frigate, and amphibious landing ship.

RIMPAC 2026 is testing autonomous combat integration and expeditionary logistics.26 The exercise features over thirty discrete experiments involving unmanned systems.26 The technology firm Havoc demonstrated collaborative autonomy by operating unmanned surface vessels to autonomously resupply allied warships.3 This multinational autonomous logistics operation allows an operator to supervise multiple assets across domains, adapting in communications-denied environments.3 Concurrently, the Naval Postgraduate School’s Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education executed distributed advanced manufacturing experiments.3 This initiative links artificial intelligence and unmanned systems to produce and deliver replacement components directly to forces at the tactical edge.3

In the undersea domain, the United States Pacific Fleet Submarine Force integrated advanced unmanned undersea vehicles to extend the persistence of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.7 These autonomous platforms provided targeting data for manned submarines, which conducted precision long-range fires utilizing UGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship cruise missiles against surface targets from standoff ranges.7 Above the surface, Saildrone and Lockheed Martin demonstrated a Joint Air-to-Ground Missile launcher mounted on a Saildrone Surveyor unmanned surface vessel.32

Amphibious and urban combat integration also formed a core component.33 Indonesian Navy Marines conducted air assault and close-quarter battle drills alongside allied forces at the Bellows Marine Corps Training Area, simulating MV-22 Osprey infiltrations, urban area clearance, and tactical responses.35 Military medical professionals from partnering nations convened for a multinational medical symposium to enhance interoperability during mass casualty and disaster response scenarios.24

Diagram showing a military boat and a military boat

The strategic intelligence gathered from RIMPAC 2026 underscores the realization that future conflicts in the Indo-Pacific will heavily rely on logistics.3 The deployment of collaborative autonomy and distributed manufacturing technologies indicates that these platforms are viable operational tools capable of sustaining forces when centralized supply lines are contested.3 The employment of unmanned undersea vehicles as force multipliers demonstrates that navies are expanding the sensory network of their submarine forces.7 This allows manned vessels to maintain stealth while orchestrating strikes based on remote targeting data.7 However, integrating thirty disparate national navies highlights ongoing challenges in standardizing communications and tactical procedures during complex live-fire scenarios.34

3.3 Exercise Combat Power 26

Exercise Combat Power 26 took place across multiple military training areas in the Republic of Croatia and concluded on July 1, 2026.38 The high-intensity joint military exercise involved over three thousand members of the Croatian Armed Forces operating alongside approximately five hundred personnel from allied and partner nations.8 The exercise integrated the Minnesota National Guard, which maintains a State Partnership Program with Croatia.39 The primary objectives were to demonstrate joint maritime combat operations and train for the deterrence and defense of national territory.8

A documented phase of the exercise involved maritime combat operations at the Žirje naval training range near Primošten.8 Special Operations Forces from the Croatian Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior’s Special Police executed high-risk visit, board, search, and seizure operations.8 Naval combat integration included more than twenty-five Croatian Navy vessels utilizing naval guns to engage surface targets.8 This was complemented by live-fire artillery support from land-based PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers.8

Air superiority and integrated air defense were central components.8 Croatian Air Force Rafale multirole fighter aircraft conducted live-fire attacks against maritime targets using internal cannons, operating in coordination with Black Hawk helicopters and naval assets.8 Ground-based air defense was tested utilizing the short-range Mistral 3 missile system, deployed to protect the landing ship-minelayer DBM-82 Krka.8 The Mistral system successfully achieved a direct hit against an aerial target simulator measuring one hundred twenty-eight millimeters in diameter.8 Concurrently, United States personnel from the Minnesota National Guard integrated with Croatian infantry, conducting mechanized maneuvers and maintenance on Bradley M2A2 Infantry Fighting Vehicles.39

Combat Power 26 provided validation of Croatia’s military modernization efforts.8 The operational integration of newly acquired Rafale fighters, Black Hawk helicopters, and Mistral 3 air defense systems signifies an enhancement of the nation’s multi-domain capabilities.8 The interoperability displayed between United States National Guard armored units and host-nation infantry demonstrates that localized allied forces can integrate into regional defense architectures.41 The precision demonstrated by coastal artillery and short-range air defense systems indicates that the Adriatic flank maintains a credible terrain denial capability.8

3.4 Exercise Freedom Edge 2026

Concluded in late June 2026 within the reporting window, Freedom Edge was a trilateral military exercise involving the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.5 Operations were centered in the sea and airspace surrounding the Korean Peninsula and the broader Indo-Pacific region.42 The strategic objective was to promote trilateral multi-domain interoperability to safeguard freedom and ensure regional stability, focusing on countering ballistic missile threats.10

Freedom Edge required the integration of defensive architectures, incorporating fifth-generation fighter aircraft into a unified multi-domain defense network.5 Tactical maneuvers featured drills in ballistic missile defense, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and maritime interdiction.5 The operations utilized United States Marine and Air Force aerial assets alongside the maritime task flotillas of Japan and South Korea, requiring operational control and data sharing between the three distinct national commands.10 Defensive cyber training and medical evacuations were also integrated to test non-kinetic support functions and command resilience.5

The execution of Freedom Edge indicates a solidification of the security architecture in Northeast Asia.10 The ability to coordinate ballistic missile defense and anti-submarine warfare among three independent militaries shows that geopolitical frictions are being subordinated to the reality of regional threats.10 The integration of fifth-generation fighters reveals a strategic emphasis on maintaining air superiority and rapid interception capabilities against maneuverable missile threats.5 The exercise highlighted the necessity of systematic training plans to refine technical and procedural interoperability.10

3.5 Exercise Breeze 2026

Initiated on June 30 and continuing through late July 2026,Breeze is an annual multinational maritime operation led by the Bulgarian Navy in the Black Sea.1Coordinated under the Supreme Command of Allied Forces Europe, the stated objective is to enhance allied interoperability, maintain combat readiness, and ensure regional maritime security.45The 2026 iteration operates under a restricted framework.1Due to strict adherence to the Montreux Convention, which bars non-Black Sea warships from transiting the straits during wartime, the exercise relies exclusively on the core coastal states of the Black Sea: Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey.1

Due to regional security sensitivities and the proximity of the conflict in Ukraine, the tactical format of Breeze 2026 was modified.1 The physical deployment of surface combatants was intentionally minimized, with organizers keeping the exact number of personnel and participating vessels classified to avoid provoking direct escalation.1 Instead, the exercise shifted toward a command-and-staff format, transitioning heavy operational elements into cyberspace.1 Physical operations were restricted to localized tasks within the national borders of the participating countries, focusing on anti-landing defense, port protection, mine clearance, and the programming of algorithms to ensure interaction between naval and government agencies.1 The exercise scenario involved collective retaliation against an adversary and the virtual blockade of the Crimean Peninsula.1

Exercise Breeze 2026 provides an intelligence indicator of the risk calculus regarding the Black Sea.1 The decision to conceal operational parameters highlights a concern over miscalculation.1 Russian air and coastal defense systems treat unidentified approaching assets as targets; this risk is compounded by the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces operate the exact same F-16 fighter aircraft utilized by allied nations, making aerial target deconfliction difficult.1 The exercise underscored the strategic impact of the Montreux Convention, forcing the alliance to rely on regional coastal states and cyber-simulated maneuvers to project deterrence rather than physical naval deployments.1

Map highlighting a location relevant to global

3.6 Exercise Resolute Sentinel – Salitre 2026

Operating from June 28 through July 12, 2026,(https://militaeraktuell.at/en/chile-brazilian-saab-gripen-e-aircraft-at-the-salitre-2026-exercise/) is a multinational multi-domain exercise hosted by the Chilean Air Force (FACh) at Cerro Moreno Air Base in Antofagasta, Chile. The exercise brings together air forces from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the United States, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The tactical format features live-fly air operations integrated with ground, space, and cyber defense components. Participating aircraft include Brazilian Air Force Gripen E jets, U.S. and Chilean F-16 Fighting Falcons, A-29 Super Tucanos from Paraguay, and E-3D AWACS. Participants conduct combined air operations in the Atacama Desert to validate interoperability across airspace control, air superiority, ground force protection, civil support, and combat search and rescue missions.

The intelligence takeaway from Resolute Sentinel – Salitre 2026 highlights a strong commitment to standardizing NATO-level air operations and operational control in South America. The inclusion of space and cyber components alongside live-fly fighter integration underscores a regional modernization effort that mirrors broader global shifts toward multi-domain preparedness.

3.7 Exercise Falcon Virgo

Between June 30 and July 2, 2026, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) conducted Exercise Falcon Virgo, a live-fly air defense exercise executed over the National Capital Region in Washington D.C. Operations were directed by the Continental U.S. NORAD Region and took place during overnight hours to test responses to airspace restriction violations and unknown aircraft.

The exercise integrated multiple aerospace assets, including U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft, a U.S. Coast Guard MH-65D Dolphin helicopter, a Navy King Air aircraft, and a Civil Air Patrol C-182. Falcon Virgo is a recurring component of Operation Noble Eagle, designed to enforce airspace security and refine interception protocols over critical infrastructure.

3.8 Dacia 26 and Romanian National Exercises

Occurring concurrently with efforts in Eastern Europe during June and July 2026, the Romanian Armed Forces are conducting a series of national training events, prominently featuringNATO.46 Dacia 26 is a multi-domain, tactical-level national defense exercise planned by the Joint Forces Command.46It involves the integration of land, air, and special operations forces across locations within Romania to test national and allied response capabilities.46This exercise is interconnected with the allied exercise Steadfast Defender 27.47

The Romanian exercise ecosystem also features Histria 26, an inter-agency strategic-level exercise, and Land Shield 26, focused on planning military operations for contingency situations.47 The Naval Component Command executed Sea Shield 26, while the Air Force utilized Exercise Burebista 26 to develop joint air operation capacities.47 The intelligence takeaway from this cluster of national exercises is the high operational tempo sustained by Eastern European militaries. By mobilizing personnel, nations like Romania are transitioning their armed forces to high-readiness warfighting configurations capable of supporting allied deployments.47

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