SINGAPORE, June 8 — For the first time, the Singapore and the United States (US) navies will deploy submarines in their annual bilateral maritime warfare exercise in the South China Sea waters, which begin today.
Both naval forces today launched the 15th series of the annual Singapore-US Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise at the Changi Naval Base here.
The Singapore Defence Ministry said submariners from the republic’s navy (RSN) and the United States Navy (USN) would operate together in a submarine tracking exercise.
About 1,500 personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces, USN and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) are participating in the exercise, which ends on June 19.
Apart from two submarines — one from each navy — 11 ships and 18 fixed and rotary wing aircraft from both countries are involved in this year’s exercise.
The ministry said the exercise, which had been conducted since 1995, was aimed at enhancing the interoperability and professional cooperation between the participating forces of Singapore and the US.
The CARAT 2009 would focus on conventional maritime warfare competencies in the areas of anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine warfare, maritime air operations and maritime security operations, it added.
RSN Chief of Staff-Naval Staff and Fleet Commander Rear-Admiral Ng Chee Peng and the USN’s Logistics Group Western Pacific Commander Rear-Admiral Nora Tyson co-officiated at the launch of the exercise. — Bernama
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