The 2018 parade marking the centennial year of the conclusion of the First World War was expected to be held with more than 7,500 troops in attendance in the ground column alone, with 480 vehicles in the mobile column, more than last year's parade, in what is one of the major international celebrations of this event, with the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong and the Japanese foreign minister, Taro Kono, as the international guests. Unlike previous years colour guards from the SAFTI Military Institute and the National Defense Academy of Japan took part on behalf of their respective armed services, and the parade was preceded by a joint service contingent (Armed Forces, National Guard, National Gendarmerie, National Police and Customs) representing recent public security and civil relief operations within France and its overseas territories and increased French military operational duties at overseas operations in support of NATO and French speaking countries' armed services. The flypast included M-346 advanced trainer jets from the 150th Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force, the first time ever that an Asian air force had taken part in the parade fly past segment.