The Philippine Navy (PN)'s AgustaWestland AW-109E "Power" helicopters will be participating in the first ever joint military exercise during CARAT 2014 scheduled this June 26 to July 1.
CARAT refers to "Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training" between the Philippine and US Navies.
Lt. (JG) Rommel Rodriquez, Philippine Fleet and CARAT 2014 spokesperson, said two AW-109Es will be participating in the flight deck operations phase of the exercise along with the American Sikorsky SH-60 "Seahawk" helicopters.
The AW-109Es first made their shipboard deployment last May 21 aboard the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16).
The helicopters were delivered and commissioned last December.
CARAT 2014 will be the AW-109E's first time to participate in a joint military exercise.
Over 1,000 US and Filipino troopers and seamen will be participating in CARAT 2014, Rodriguez said.
The American contingent will consist of the USS Halsey (DDG-97) or the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS Ashland (LSD-48), a Whidbey Island-class docking landing ship, USS Safeguard (ARS-50), a Safeguard-class rescue vessel, two landing craft air cushion, underwater demolition teams, Seabees, a mobile diving salvage unit, explosive ordnance division unit, and company sized amphibious assault vehicles.
On the other hand, the Filipino contingent to CARAT 2014 consist of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35), an Norman Britten Islander aircraft, one Naval Special Operations Group explosive ordnance unit, three diving teams, two special boat teams, two Marine companies, communications team, band, logistic and Seabees units.
US Navy participants to CARAT 2014 are expected to arrive in
"There will be classroom-style discussions on safety, maritime defense awareness, flight operations, EOD training, and 'cold form' amphibious operations planning," Rodriquez added.
On June 27, the second day of the training, discussions and training on side-scan sonar will take place.
Side-scan sonar is use for hydrographic surveys, and on June 29, both US and Philippine participants will conduct their maritime surveillance exercises.
Rodriquez stated that on June 29, a gunnery exercise will take place 39 nautical miles southwest off Sampaloc Point, which is located on the lower tip of Zambales province.
All surface ship assets involved in CARAT 2014 will participate in this activity, he added.
"(Aside from this), we'll also conduct maritime interdiction operations, visit board-search-and-seizure exercises at sea, all will be within the (above-mentioned) area, riverine (exercises) and diving and communication exercises will take place on June 28 and 29," Rodriquez stressed.
The Philippine Fleet spokesperson also clarified that CARAT 2014 has nothing to do with the ongoing maritime dispute with
"This is purely training, a purely maritime training activity that is conducted annually. It has no connection with the current dispute (issue on territorial claims). Just to emphasize that both our Navies have conducted CARAT activities in different areas in the
Carat is on its 20th year now since its inception (and)this shows the longstanding relations between the two allies," he pointed out.
Rodriquez also stressed that
"This has nothing to do with Philippine-China dispute or the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea, this is a regular training activity that we are conducting every year, even before this recent territorial issues, we have been conducting this (for a long time)," he concluded.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=656633
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