PACFLT Commander Reaffirms Close Ties with Singapore, Thanks Sailors During Southeast Asia Visit

From Task Force 73 Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, made his inaugural visit to the Republic of Singapore Aug. 26-28 to reaffirm the U.S. Navy's strong partnership and ties with the Singapore Armed Forces. The visit followed two days of leadership engagements in Kuala Lumpur, where Swift met with Malaysian defense officials and discussed the Navy's commitment to peace and stability in the region.

During his Singapore visit, Swift met with the Republic of Singapore Chief of Defense Major-General Perry Lim and Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Lai Chung Han, after inspecting a Guard of Honor at the Ministry of Defense headquarters.

"Our long-standing partnership with the Republic of Singapore Armed Forces reflects our shared commitment to security in Southeast Asia," said Swift. "We're grateful for our strong ties with partners like Singapore that help our Navy remain forward deployed and ready to contribute to the greater stability of the region."

Swift also made time to visit with U.S. Sailors and their families during a town hall at Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific (COMLOG WESTPAC).

During a question and answer session, Swift discussed the rotational deployments of littoral combat ships (LCS) to Southeast Asia, including USS Fort Worth's (LCS 3) current 16-month deployment, and the planned rotational deployment of four LCS to the region by 2018 as part of the U.S. Navy's support for the Pacific rebalance. Swift also highlighted the 21st anniversary of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), a series of bilateral exercises held annually to enhance interoperability with nine regional navies.

"CARAT remains a critical venue for increasing maritime security cooperation throughout South and Southeast Asia," said Swift. "Your hard work and critical engagement during these exercises is one of the reasons why the United States remains the partner of choice for many nations in this region."

Swift also responded to a wide range of personnel topics, including uniforms, the fiscal budget, and future manning initiatives. He emphasized the importance of the Navy's forward presence and thanked Sailors for operating forward in a critical and relevant area of the world.

"I greatly appreciate what you do; day in, and day out," said Swift. "I'm also very thankful for our families who have chosen to serve alongside our Sailors and civilian personnel far away from home and away from your extended families. Your support makes all the difference."

COMLOG WESTPAC is the U.S. 7th Fleet's provider of combat-ready logistics, operating government-owned and contracted ships to keep units throughout 7th Fleet armed, fueled, and fed.

Additionally, Task Force 73 conducts advanced planning, organizes resources and directly supports the execution of maritime exercises such as the bilateral CARAT series, the Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) with Vietnam, and the multilateral Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.