U.S. Sailors and Marines join the Malaysian Armed Forces for CARAT 2015

By Task Force 73 Public Affairs

Sandakan, Malaysia (NNS) -- The 21st annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and the Malaysian Armed Forces began Aug. 17 with opening ceremonies in Sandakan, Malaysia.

CARAT Malaysia 2015 consists of five days of shore-based and at-sea training events, designed to address shared maritime security concerns, build relationships, and enhance interoperability among participating forces.

"This marks the 21st year that the U.S. and Malaysian armed forces have come together for CARAT, and our enhanced military partnership today reflects the maturity of this relationship," said Rear Adm. Charlie Williams, Commander, Task Force 73. "Partnerships matter in this region. Sustained partnerships matter even more."

CARAT is a series of bilateral naval exercises between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

More than 1,000 U.S. military members will participate in CARAT Malaysia alongside their counterparts from Malaysia. The exercise will feature simultaneous amphibious landings; surface warfare drills; visit, board, search and seizure demonstrations; explosive ordnance disposal training; maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations; a gunnery exercise; coastal Riverine drills; and civil engineering projects. Additionally, personnel from both nations will exchange best practices on naval tactics during a series of military seminars ashore.

"CARAT is a practical way for our two navies to address shared maritime security priorities in a realistic training environment," said Capt. H.B. Le, Commodore, Destroyer Squadron 7. "The Malaysian armed forces have been a part of CARAT since its inception, and our partnership's spanning more than two decades demonstrates a firm mutual commitment to stability and security throughout the region."

U.S. units participating in the exercise include littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42), a P-3C Orion, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FIVE , Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit FIVE, Coastal Riverine Group ONE, and U.S. Marines assigned to the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (III MEB).

As U.S. 7th Fleet's executive agent for theater security cooperation in South and Southeast Asia, Commander, 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 with Vietnam, and the multi-lateral Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

US Navy Increases Cooperation, Enhances Partnership With Timor Leste Defense Forces During CARAT

From Task Force 73 Public Affairs

DILI, Timor Leste (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy and Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) will conduct the third Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise in Dili, Timor-Leste, and in the vicinity of Port Hera Naval Base, July 27-28.

CARAT Timor-Leste is part of an annual bilateral exercise series between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of nine partner nations, including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. As a longstanding exercise series in Southeast Asia, CARAT enables regional navies to work together through cooperative training events, exchanges, and symposia.

"CARAT Timor-Leste provides an outstanding venue to broaden our partnership with the Timor-Leste Defense Force based on shared security interests," said Rear Adm. Charlie Williams, commander, Task Force (CTF) 73. "Through our bilateral training and exchanges, our Sailors are working side-by-side with their Timor-Leste counterparts, creating meaningful professional relationships and enhancing cooperation between our navies."

During this year's CARAT exercise, U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 and security personnel assigned to Navy Coastal Riverine Group 1 will conduct civil-engineer exchanges and security training with Timor-Leste defense forces.

CARAT Timor-Leste also includes a community service and outreach project providing an opportunity for U.S. and Timor-Leste defense forces to interact with the local community. Approximately 400 service members from the two militaries will participate in this year's exercise.

CARAT is one aspect of the growing U.S. and Timor-Leste partnership, which has included annual port calls by U.S. Navy ships, visits by senior U.S. Navy and Marine Corps leaders, and ongoing civic action projects by U.S. Navy Seabees deployed to Timor-Leste, over the past decade.

"Both navies benefit from this training," said Lt. Luis Ortega, Timor-Leste desk officer and exercise coordinator for CTF 73. "Together we learn from each other and exchange cultural knowledge and military skillsets, which increases capacity of our forces and allows us to work more efficiently together."

Following CARAT Timor-Leste, additional bilateral phases of CARAT will occur from August through November 2015 with Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The exercises will provide a regional venue to develop strong maritime partnerships that contribute to the greater peace and stability of the region.

As U.S. 7th Fleet's executive agent for theater security cooperation in South and Southeast Asia, CTF 73 conducts advanced planning, organizes resources, and directly supports the execution of maritime exercises, such as the bilateral CARAT series, the Naval Engagement Activity with Vietnam, and the multi-lateral Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.