By Chelsea Robin | 2026-03-27

South Korean and US forces have concluded Freedom Shield 26, carrying out large-scale field, air, cyber and information domain drills across South Korea. Both militaries cast the exercise as a major test of combined readiness and alliance interoperability.

Held March 9-19, the annual exercise integrated lessons from modern global conflicts to sharpen tactical realism and bolster combat readiness.

Two militaries operating as one

"Freedom Shield 26 demonstrates the strength of our alliance and our ability to train, build readiness and operate seamlessly as one force," said US Army Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, commander of United Nations (UN) Command, Combined Forces Command and US Forces Korea, in a statement.

Ground, maritime, air and marine forces took part in the Warrior Shield field training program. US and South Korean military leaders described it as grueling maneuvers designed to simulate battlefield conditions rather than simply execute command post procedures.

One standout maneuver was a river-crossing exercise near Yeoncheon involving more than 700 South Korean soldiers, alongside the US 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-US Combined Division's Stryker Brigade. ROK stands for Republic of Korea.

The combined forces utilized more than 200 military assets, including South Korean K1A2 tanks, K200A1 armored personnel carriers and US Stryker armored fighting vehicles.

"The complex operation began with US Stryker vehicles crossing the river on a raft, followed by ROK armored vehicles conducting an assault crossing to secure the objective," the US Army said.

Integrating S. Korean, US river-crossing equipment

The drill marked the first integration of South Korea's KM3 self-propelled bridging equipment with the US Army's Improved Ribbon Bridge. That usage highlights the allies' effort to strengthen interoperability in complex terrain.

The KM3 can serve as a temporary floating bridge or pontoon bridge for tanks, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles, according to manufacturer Hanwha Aerospace. The Improved Ribbon Bridge, developed by General Dynamics European Land Systems, is a modular aluminum system. It can function as both a floating bridge and a multibay ferry for heavy equipment, combat vehicles, trucks, supplies and troops.

That river-crossing operation formed part of 22 live field training events conducted during Freedom Shield 26. It reflects the allies' push to expand the practical scale of the exercise.

"Warrior Shield enhanced combat proficiency, enabling forces to respond immediately and decisively in real-world contingencies," the US Army said.

Beyond physical training, the exercise included information domain elements, as well as participation by US Space Forces-Korea. Those components addressed threats beyond conventional "kinetic" combat, including electronic disruption, information operations and degraded communication environments.

Psychological operations for 1st time

For the first time, the 7th Psychological Operations Group deployed in support of a tactical exercise on the peninsula, according to US Army Reserve Col. Gregory Baugh, the group's commander. The unit deployed multimedia loudspeaker and psychological capabilities.

Psychological operations allow "commanders to use non-lethal effects to shape the battlefield ... disrupting and demoralizing enemy defenders," the US Army said.

Space operations

Space Forces-Korea participants in Freedom Shield 26 could "rehearse theater-relevant operations across all Space Mission Areas, stress-test procedures and sharpen the command's ability to scale operations rapidly," the force said in a statement.

"Our role here is a lot of coordination between the different simulation centers to make the space scenario work for these exercises as realistically as possible," said US Space Force 1st Lt. Roman Ocampo.

The space component included responsibilities such as missile warning, space domain awareness and scenarios including "degraded space-enabled effects," the US Air Force said.

Together with the cyber, information and field components, those activities showed how this year's exercise leaders tried to apply lessons from recent conflicts to a Korean peninsula contingency.

Transferring OPCON to S. Korea

The exercise supported preparations for the transfer of wartime operational control, or OPCON, to Seoul, US Forces Korea said. It framed the preparations as efforts to modernize the alliance and give South Korea the leading role in securing the peninsula.

Embedding the issue inside the exercise tied the OPCON discussion more directly to command integration, operational readiness and Seoul's ability to lead.

"As we prepare for the OPCON transfer, this year's [Freedom Shield] 26 reaffirmed the common value of peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula shared between ROK and [the United States] and elevated our robust combined defense posture and combined operational capabilities to the next level," said Gen. Jin Yong-sung, chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

During the drills, South Korean and US military leaders assessed operations and engaged with troops at command posts and training sites.

"The ROK-US team stood shoulder-to-shoulder in command posts and field exercises, truly becoming one team," Jin said.

'Crucial' for stability in region

These training exercises are "crucial" to keeping the alliance as the region's "linchpin of stability and peace," South Korean and US military leaders said. Such drills help South Korean and US marine forces strengthen combined capabilities and improve their ability to confront crises, Lt. Gen. Ju Il-seok, commandant of South Korea's Marine Corps, said.

"There is no substitute for training, there is no excuse for not being ready," Brunson said.

Several UN Command member states took part in Freedom Shield 26. The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission monitored the exercise's defensive nature and adherence to the 1953 armistice.