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Korean, U.S. Army troops hold combined drills in California desert

Published: 17 Mar. 2026, 10:11

Troops take part in a Korea-U.S. combined exercise held at the U.S. National Training Center in the Mojave Desert in California from March 4 to 15 in this photo provided by the South's Army on March 17. [YONHAP]

Korean and U.S. Army troops conducted joint drills in a desert in California earlier this month to enhance their combat capabilities and interoperability, the Army said Tuesday.

Some 120 personnel, mostly from the 5th Armored Brigade, joined the exercise held at the U.S. National Training Center (NTC) in the Mojave Desert in California from March 4 to 15, according to the armed service.

Participating troops engaged in a two-month training program ahead of their departure and held terrain reconnaissance and tactical discussions with their U.S. counterparts before conducting combat training.

The training focused on sharpening counter-drone response capabilities to reflect new trends in modern warfare and familiarizing troops with command and control procedures in harsh climate and nighttime operations.

First launched in 2014, the drills marked the 10th such combined exercise to take place at the U.S. training facility, which spans 2,400 square kilometers (593,053 acres) and is known for its tough desert training environment.

Yonhap