Naval games reflect the maturity of ties: US Navy
Published on: Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Sandakan: US Navy Rear Admiral Charlie William said the Annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) joint exercise with the Malaysian Armed Forces reflected the maturity of ties in enhanced military partnership between many nations in the region. CARAT is a series of bilateral naval exercises between the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste. "After more than two decades of annual CARAT training engagements between the US and Malaysian Armed Forces, the exercise remains a model for cooperation that has evolved in complexity.
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"This enables both nations to refine maritime operations and tactics," he said during the launching of the 21st CARAT Exercise here on Monday. CARAT features simultaneous amphibious landings, surface warfare drills, visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) demonstrations, explosive ordnance disposal training, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, a gunnery exercise, coastal riverine drills, while US Navy Seabees will partake in civil engineering projects with their Malaysian partners. Additionally, personnel from both nations will exchange best practices on naval tactics during a series of military seminars ashore. CARAT Malaysia 2015 will be carried out for five days and comprise shore-based and at sea training exercise aimed to address maritime security concerns, harness relationships, and enhance cooperation among participating forces.
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Royal Malaysian Air Force Joint Military Chief of Staff, Major General Datuk Kamalruzaman Mohd Othman said the exercise will involve Sea Operations, Reverine Exercise, Force Protection Training, Explosive Ordanance Disposal Exercise (ECDEX), Engineer Community Assistance Programme (ENCAP), Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Amphibious Landing and Force Protection Training. He added besides sea exercise activities, it will also include amphibious landing involving Pasukan 7 Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja with Second Battalion Third Marines.
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CARAT in the past had a lot of concentration in Peninsular Malaysia, he said. "This is the first time that we do this training in Sabah and Sandakan is an ideal place to do the exercises after we have seen the surrounding areas and the most appropriate place is Sandakan," he explained.Kamalruzaman said they also include a construction of a school building at SK Gas through the joint military exercise. Meanwhile, Captain H.B. Lee said CARAT is a practical way for the two navies to address shared maritime security priorities in a realistic training environment. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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