Hello, Warriors! The U.S., Indian and Japanese navies kicked off Exercise Malabar 2015 — annual sea and shore training aimed at enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region in Chennai, India. This year’s drills, which run through Oct. 19, focus on surface and anti-submarine warfare, air defense and search-and-rescue tactics.
Following is what you need to know about the annual trilateral exercise:
- Founded in 1992, Malabar traditionally involves just the U.S. and India. Japan took part as a guest in the past, and became a permanent member this year despite protests from China.
- This is the fourth time that Japan is taking part in the Malabar naval manoeuvers, which India and the US have been holding regularly every year since 1992 except in 1998 and as a result, it is going to be a trilateral exercise each year.
- Representing the U.S. is the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy and littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth. A P-8A Poseidon aircraft and a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine are also taking part.
- Participating vessels for India include INS Shivalik, INS Betwa, INS Ranvijay, INS Shakti. Also onboard The 1,00,000 ton weighing aircraft-carrier was a team of eight officers and 10 sailors of the Indian Navy.
- JS Fuyuzuki represents Japan, a guided-missile destroyer.
- The “harbour phase” of the exercise will be undertaken from July 24 to July 26, while the “sea phase” from July 27 to July 30.
- Maintaining that the ongoing Malabar some 180 nautical miles off the Chennai coast, the exercise allows all countries to work together and to feel comfortable with each other in ensuring the freedom of navigation and the freedom of commerce around the world.
- This is the 18th edition of the Malabar exercise, which will include carrier strike operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, as also VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure) operations.
- India will also host it’s first-ever IN-RAN bilateral naval exercise with Australia in October-November, and JIMEX (Japan-India Maritime Exercise) with Japan in November.
