Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2013 exercise between the US Navy and several member nations of ASEAN in Southeast Asia has drawn to a close, according to the National News Bureau of Thailand.
More than 1,200 Sailors and Marines participated in CARAT Thailand. The drill, featuring combat simulation, is aimed at forging naval ties between the participating nations, followed by learning to work together in countering terrorism and mitigating natural disasters.
Being aware of continuing piracy threats, the navy teams took part in Visit, Board, Search and Seizure(VBSS) Training in the Gulf of Thailand.
The interoperability of the Thai and US Navy teams was also confirmed by successful approach of Royal Thailand Navy’s S-70B Navyhawk to USS Curtis Wilbur during a simulated in-flight refueling.
In addition, Amphibious Assault drills were held, withing which framework the Royal Thai Navy amphibious dock landing ship HTMS Angthong (LPD 791) lead a formation of ships including RTN frigate HTMS Chao Phraya (FFG 455), RTN corvettes HTMS Rattanakhosin (FSGM 441) and HTMS Sukhothai (FSGM 442), and the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11).
As part of the at-sea phase of CARAT 2013, the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11) launched a BQM-74 targeting drone during a live-fire missile exercise.
The following video brings a glimpse of a fly-past and landing on a naval ship while at sea:
CARAT is a series of bilateral military exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, June 11, 2013; Image: Thai Navy