6 U.S., PHL ships to participate in this year's CARAT exercises

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): 6 U.S., PHL ships to participate in this year's CARAT exercises

Six naval vessels, including four U.S. ships, will be participating in this year's "CARAT" exercises which will be held in the northern part of the West Philippine Sea starting this June 27 up to July 2.

Naval Forces Northern Luzon public affairs officer Ensign Bernard Sabado said the U.S. will deploy four ships with a complement of 500 men while the Philippines will deploy the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) and Coast Guard cutter and another 500 military personnel.

Drills that are included in this year's CARAT exercise include live fire, maritime interdiction, ship boarding and seizure, and aerial surveillance

Sabado added that there will be also "in-port" activities at the former U.S. bases in Subic Bay and Clark Field, as well as at the Philippine Marine base in Ternate, Cavite.

This year's exercises will be held amidst increasing aggressive moves of China in the West Philippine Sea which include the placing of buoys off Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal which prevented Filipino fishermen from fishing there.

Panatag Shoal is only 124 kilometers away from Zambales and well within the country's 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536269