U.S. Navy Lt. Steven Coss demonstrates preflight safety checks on a P-8A Poseidon to South Korean navy pilots during a Sea Dragon drill at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, March 9, 2025. (Matthew Cole/U.S. Navy)
The United States and four partner nations have concluded two weeks of intensive anti-submarine training near Guam, the U.S. 7th Fleet announced Wednesday.
The Sea Dragon exercise, held annually since 2019, brought together the U.S. Navy, the Australian air force, and the Indian, Japanese and South Korean navies for a series of drills, including mobile target training and the pursuit of a U.S. submarine.
The exercise features an annual competition assessing each nation’s anti-submarine warfare tactics and response effectiveness, with the winner receiving the Dragon Belt award, according to a 7th Fleet news release. The Australian air force won this year’s contest, ending Japan’s three-year winning streak.
Sea Dragon began on March 6 with a training format designed to progressively develop aircrews’ anti-submarine warfare expertise while ensuring seamless international mission coordination, according to the news release.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Armando Francomendoza conducts preflight checks with P-8A Poseidon pilots during a Sea Dragon drill at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, March 7, 2025. (Christian Castro/U.S. Navy)
Polaris Point on Naval Base Guam is home to five fast-attack submarines assigned to Submarine Squadron 15. Last year, the Pacific Fleet Submarine Force deployed the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Minnesota to the U.S. territory.
Seventh Fleet spokeswoman Lt. j.g. Sarah Merrill declined to name the submarine that participated in Sea Dragon, citing security concerns.
Hosted by Task Force 72, which leads the 7th Fleet’s patrol, reconnaissance and surveillance forces, Sea Dragon included about 200 U.S. sailors and two U.S. P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, Merrill said by email Wednesday.
Other participating aircraft included two Australian P-8A Poseidons, a Japanese P-1, a South Korean P-3 Orion, and an Indian P-81 Neptune, she said.
“Operating alongside partner nations’ maritime patrol forces strengthens security and cooperation, contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Lt. Cmdr. Dan O’Keefe, a theater security cooperation officer with Task Force 72, said in the release.
“The high level of coordination and skill displayed throughout the exercise underscores our commitment to shared regional security,” he said.
