United States, Indian, and Japanese forces gathered in Sasebo, Japan, April 26 to kick off the trilateral exercise Malabar 2009.
The annual, Indian-led, exercise Malabar is designed to increase the interoperability between navies and strengthen the stability of the Pacific region.
During the exercise, approximately 4,000 personnel from the three participating maritime forces will execute anti-submarine warfare; surface warfare; air defense; live-fire gunnery training; and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) evolutions.
"Malabar is our premier blue water exercise with the Indian navy," said Lt. Aaron Kakiel, 7th Fleet's South Asia policy and exercise officer. "We value this opportunity to increase our interoperability with our regional partners," he added.
Traditionally a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Indian navies, this year's Malabar will also include the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF).
"Adding the JMSDF is of particular benefit to the U.S. and Indian navies," Kakiel said. "All three navies have unique ways of conducting similar operations, exercising together allows us to help develop common practices."
Sailors will embark on their counterpart's ships during Malabar to enhance the interoperability by sharing information and learning from their allies.
"Sailor exchanges provide a valuable professional experience," said Kakiel. "The free exchange of ideas and trust that develops from these swaps proves invaluable in developing a framework for future engagements."
During Malabar, VBSS teams from the three nations will jointly board USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and the Indian supply ship INS Jyoti (A58) to share with each other how they conduct maritime interdiction operations (MIO).
"Taking different teams and integrating them together in a coordinated effort to achieve a common goal is a good way to share knowledge with each other," said Ensign James Lamb, force protection officer for USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62). "We have our way of doing things," he said, "but if we see the Indians or Japanese have a better way of accomplishing the same task, we can take there procedure and incorporate it into our own.
The United States will be represented by the 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), guided-missile destroyers Fitzgerald and USS Chafee (DDG 90), fast attack submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21) and various P-3C Orion and SH-60 Seahawk aircraft.
Operating in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, the U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, covering more than 48 million square miles, with approximately 60-70 ships, 200-300 aircraft and 40,000 Sailors and Marines assigned to it at any time.
Matthew R. White (NNS)
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