World · East Asia & Pacific · 14 hrs ago
Japanese submarine pictured sailing beside US carrier Theodore Roosevelt
Japan released an image of its submarine sailing beside a US aircraft carrier after a joint military exercise.
The vessel was the nuclear-powered carrier Theodore Roosevelt, which sailed alongside a submarine operated by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force.
The image was released after Keen Sword 27, a US-Japan exercise held from October 19 to 29 in the Indo-Pacific.
Japan’s forces took part with about 45,000 personnel, 40 ships and 260 aircraft, among other equipment.
The carrier is about 333 metres long and weighs more than 100,000 tonnes when fully loaded, while the submarine is 84 metres long and has a standard displacement of about 3,000 tonnes.
The size contrast highlights how differently the two vessels operate, and the submarine carries torpedoes capable of seriously damaging large ships.
The exercise aimed to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities in the Indo-Pacific; no further action was specified.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force released an image of one of its submarines sailing beside the US Navy aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.
The image was released after the Japan-US exercise Keen Sword 27 ended on October 30, 2026.
The exercise ran from October 19 to 29 in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Theodore Roosevelt is about 333 metres long and has a full-load displacement of more than 100,000 tonnes.
The Japanese submarine is 84 metres long and has a standard displacement of about 3,000 tonnes.
- Who
- The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the US Navy.
- What
- An image showed a Japanese submarine sailing beside the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.
- When
- The image was released on October 30, 2026.
- Where
- The image showed the vessels at sea; the specific location is not stated.
- Why
- The image was released after the Keen Sword 27 exercise, which aimed to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Japan-US Keen Sword 27 exercise took place in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force announced the exercise had ended and released the image of the submarine and carrier sailing together.
Japanese outlets published reports about the image.
- Exercise
- Keen Sword 27
- Exercise dates
- October 19–29, 2026
- Carrier
- Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
- Carrier length
- About 333 metres
- Submarine length
- 84 metres
- Self-Defense Force contribution
- About 45,000 personnel, 6,100 vehicles, 40 ships and 260 aircraft