US, PHL soldiers join CARAT 2016

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 8): US, PHL soldiers join CARAT 2016

Hundreds of navy and marine personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) and United States were deployed to join this year’s Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2016 which formally opened on Wednesday at Alava Pier here.

The exercise will take place mainly in areas near Subic Bay and in Palawan and will involve US military personnel assigned in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

In a statement, Rear Adm. Ronald Joseph Mercado, AFP commander, said, "CARAT strengthens the strong and enduring relationships between the US and Philippine navies. We're looking forward to working alongside our US Navy and Marine partners during CARAT 2016.”

"CARAT provides a great opportunity for our navies to operate together at sea and train during realistic scenarios that better prepare our forces for real-world operations,” said Capt. H. B. Le, commodore, Destroyer Squadron Seven.

"With more than two decades of experience working together, we are able to execute complex exercises that address shared maritime security priorities and improve interoperability between our navies,” Le said.

Participating this year’s CARAT from the US side are the guided missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63), the landing dock ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), and the diving and salvage ship USNS Salvor (T-ARS-52), with P-8 Poseidon aircraft, US Navy expeditionary forces, US Marines’ the III Marine Expeditionary Force- 3rd Marine Division, a platoon from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, and officers from Commander, Task Force 73 (CTF 73) and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7.

From the Philippine contingencies are the Minesweeper Frigate BRP Rizal (PS74), the Frigate BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF15), a landing craft heavy vessel, an AW109 helicopter, an EOD team, diving team, construction platoon, and a Marine company.

The joint military training will focus on combined operations at sea, amphibious landings, diving and salvage, maritime domain awareness, and community service events, where US personnel will train with their Filipino counterparts in a host of military engagements, professional exchanges and training seminars. 

Civil action projects, community service events and combined military band concerts are also planned to foster relationships and bonds with the Filipino people.  

CARAT Philippines is part of a broader exercise series the US Navy conducts with nine partner nations in South and Southeast Asia to address shared maritime security priorities, strengthen maritime partnerships and enhance interoperability among participating forces.

The Philippines has participated since the series began in 1995.

As US 7th Fleet's executive agent for theater security cooperation in South and Southeast Asia, Commander, Task Force 73 conducts advanced planning, organizes resources and directly supports the execution of maritime exercises, such as the bilateral CARAT series, the Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) with Vietnam, and the multi-lateral Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

 http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=892932