Indonesia and US launch annual military exercises

BANDUNG, Indonesia — The US and Indonesia launched their annual joint military exercises on Monday (Aug 31), the first since announcing a new defence partnership this year, with drills from tactical airborne jumps and missile firing to jungle training and cyber defence.Super Garuda Shield, held annually since 2006, will run until Sept 11 and include more than 4,700 personnel, with 13 other countries taking part including Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada.The exercises will take place in several regions of Indonesia and will include infiltration drills, firing of stinger missiles, jungle training and naval manoeuvres.This edition comes after the two countries’ defence ministers signed a major defence co-operation partnership in April, which Jakarta has said will include US support in its military modernisation initiatives and training of its troops.”We are not just meeting for another annual training cycle. We are writing a historic new chapter in our bilateral relationship,” Major General Patrick Ellis, US Army Commanding General of the 4th Infantry Division, said in a speech opening the exercises in Bandung.