The tri-lateral exercise Malabar came to a close as Indian, Japanese and U.S. naval forces completed training, Oct. 19.
The annual high-end war fighting exercise, which began in 1992, featured maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, air defense exercises (ADEX) and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.
Indian Navy Rear Adm. SV Bhokare, flag officer commanding Eastern Fleet, said:
Every Malabar we really go one notch up, and I think we’ve achieved the same thing this time.
We have really achieved a high level of interoperability and I’m sure we will do better next time.
At-sea events started with an ADEX involving the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) and the Indian frigate INS Shivalik (F 47).
The ashore portion of the exercise featured information exchanges from professionals and subject-matter experts on a wide variety of military operations including helicopter operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, damage control, carrier strike group operations and explosive ordnance disposal.
While conducting the at-sea portion of the training, ships from the Indian Navy, the JMSDF and the U.S. Navy collaborated to advance their ability to plan and coordinate tactical operations in a multinational environment. Events at sea included submarine familiarization, surface warfare exercises, liaison officer professional exchanges and embarkations, high-value unit defense, mine exercise, medevac, search and rescue exercises, communication exercises and an opposed underway replenishment.
Theodore Roosevelt also welcomed aboard officers and dignitaries from each nation for a chance to exchange information and observe operations.
TR, Normandy, Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), Los Angeles-class submarine USS Corpus Christi (SSN 705), the Japanese Akizuki-class destroyer JS Fuyuzuki (DD 108), the Indian Navy Brahmaputra-class guided-missile frigate INS Betwa (F 39), the Rajput-class destroyer INS Ravijay (D 55), the Sindhughosh-class diesel-electric submarine INS Sindhuraj (S 57), INS Shivalik and INS Shakti were all participants in Exercise Malabar 2015.
Malabar is a continuing series of complex, high-end war fighting exercises conducted to advance multi-national maritime relationships and mutual security. It features complex exercises both ashore and at sea.
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Image: US Navy