U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, Indonesian marines with 7th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade, Republic of Korea marines with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 6th Marine Brigade, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force service members with 2nd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, stand at attention during an opening ceremony for Exercise Super Garuda Shield 26 at the Indonesian Marine Corps 7th Infantry Battalion base near Lampung, Indonesia, Aug. 31, 2026. Super Garuda Shield is an annual exercise between the Indonesian National Armed Forces and U.S. Military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, and cooperation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kyle Chan)

Photo by Sgt. Kyle Chan

MRF-D Marines kick off multinational exercise Super Garuda Shield 26 in Indonesia

1 Sep 2026 | 1st Lt. Chase Fortier Marine Rotational Force - Darwin

LAMPUNG, Indonesia --

U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26 officially began Exercise Super Garuda Shield 26 following an opening ceremony held today in Lampung.

Exercise Super Garuda Shield 26, scheduled to run until mid-September, is an Indonesian-led, combined joint exercise that takes place across the islands of Sumatra and Java. Since its first iteration in 2007, the exercise has grown to include participating forces from Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea.

Approximately 230 Marines and Sailors from MRF-D 26 will integrate with the Indonesian National Armed Forces and multinational partners. The exercise focuses on enhancing combined capabilities across a wide range of joint force military operations, including a combined arms live-fire exercise, an engineering civic action program, subject matter expert exchanges, and small unit tactics.

"Dynamic multinational exercises like Super Garuda Shield sharpen readiness, build interoperability, and demonstrate our collective ability to prevail in any contingency. Our interpersonal relationships, forged through exercises and exchanges, illustrate the value we place on our allies and partners." U.S. Marine Corps Col. George Flynn, commanding officer of MRF-D 26

Throughout the exercise, Marines with MRF-D 26 will undertake a rigorous training schedule alongside joint and combined partners. The logistics combat element will conduct water purification operations and construction projects in Baturaja. Concurrently, the ground combat element will conduct live-fire subject matter expert exchanges, jungle operations training, and a force-on-force exercise in Lampung.

Exercise Super Garuda Shield 2026 reflects the shared commitment of the United States, Indonesia, and participating nations to regional security and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

For media inquiries, interview requests, or additional high-resolution imagery regarding this exercise, please contact MRF-D 26 Communication Strategy and Operations via email at mrfdmedia@usmc.mil.