US aircraft carrier and Japanese helicopter destroyer train in Philippine Sea

US Navy aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) met up with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) helicopter destroyer JS Izumo (DDH 183) in the Philippine Sea for two days of maritime operations during a cooperative deployment on October 9 and 10.

During the cooperative deployment, the Ronald Reagan strike group units and Izumo conducted maneuvering exercises, communications exercises and divisional training.

Chiefs from Izumo and Escort Division 11 embarked the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and were given tours of the ship’s mess decks, medical facilities and watched fixed-wing flight operations.

“It was an absolute honor and privilege to sail with Izumo again,” said Command Master Chief Jason Haka, the command master chief for commander, Task Force 70. “Every time we work with the JMSDF, we strengthen our partnership in this area of operations, and working together helps us better integrate when we need to.”

Units in the Ronald Reagan Strike Group, which is forward-deployed to the US 7th Fleet area of operations, include Ronald Reagan, the guided-missile cruisers USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and USS Antietam (CG 54), and guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65).

JS Izumo is the first of two helicopter destroyers in her class, measuring 284 meters in length and displacing close to 30,000 tons at full load. Izumo’s sister ship JS Kaga is currently on operations in the Indian Ocean, training with Indian Navy assets as part of the Japan-India maritime exercise (JIMEX).