GENERAL
SANTOS CITY, July 2 (PNA) – About a thousand joint American and
Filipino troops are taking part in the nine-day United States
(US)-Philippines naval maneuver exercises along Sarangani Bay that
formally opened Monday.
Capt. Robert Empedrad, deputy commander of the Naval Forces
Eastern Mindanao Command, said the troops, which comprise 400 American
as well as 550 Filipino naval and coast guard personnel, will undergo
joint training exercises as part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and
Training (CARAT) 2012 program.
He said two US vessels — the missile-guiding frigate USS Vandergrift and cutter-ship US Coast Guard (USCG) Waesche —are taking part in the naval exercises.
USS Vandergrift arrived around 1:05 p.m. Sunday near the mouth of Sarangani Bay and was met by Philippine Navy (PN) ship Salvador Abcede. USCG Waesche arrived about an hour later.
Vandergrift arrived at the Makar Wharf here around 3 p.m.
Empedrad, who acts as CARAT 2012 exercise director, said another US ship also arrived in the country — the USNS Safeguard, a rescue and salvage ship — and docked in Manila for training exercises at the Manila Bay.
He said naval exercises, which is the first time that US naval units were holding in the area, would be conducted in the seas off Maitum and Maasim towns in Sarangani and in Balut Island of Sarangani town in Davao del Sur.
The naval exercise, which would not be visible from the shores, is within the area of responsibility of the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao Command, he said.
The official said inland activities include medical and dental civic action program and concerts by the US Navy’s 7th Fleet Band in this city and Glan town in Sarangani.
At-sea activities include in-port training, subject matter exercise exchanges, riverine operations training, and diving and salvage exercises.
Empedrad said four PN ships - corvettes BRP Magat Salamat and BRP Miguel Malvar, Salvador Abcede, and coastal patrol craft BRP Teotimo Figuracion — as well as Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) BRP Pampanga are taking part in CARAT 2012.
Commander Joseph Coyme, spokesperson of the PCG Contingent in CARAT P012, said the Coast Guard exercises will cover search and rescue and emergency medical situation.
He said the Coast Watch Stations, which are operated by the PN and being worked out to be handled by the PCG, will have a communications exercise with the American’s P3C Orion aircraft.
CARAT 2012 aims to enhance combined inter-operability and capability between the Philippine Navy and United States Navy as well as to test its personnel and naval assets’ operational readiness and ultimately, improve the defense capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
He said two US vessels — the missile-guiding frigate USS Vandergrift and cutter-ship US Coast Guard (USCG) Waesche —are taking part in the naval exercises.
USS Vandergrift arrived around 1:05 p.m. Sunday near the mouth of Sarangani Bay and was met by Philippine Navy (PN) ship Salvador Abcede. USCG Waesche arrived about an hour later.
Vandergrift arrived at the Makar Wharf here around 3 p.m.
Empedrad, who acts as CARAT 2012 exercise director, said another US ship also arrived in the country — the USNS Safeguard, a rescue and salvage ship — and docked in Manila for training exercises at the Manila Bay.
He said naval exercises, which is the first time that US naval units were holding in the area, would be conducted in the seas off Maitum and Maasim towns in Sarangani and in Balut Island of Sarangani town in Davao del Sur.
The naval exercise, which would not be visible from the shores, is within the area of responsibility of the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao Command, he said.
The official said inland activities include medical and dental civic action program and concerts by the US Navy’s 7th Fleet Band in this city and Glan town in Sarangani.
At-sea activities include in-port training, subject matter exercise exchanges, riverine operations training, and diving and salvage exercises.
Empedrad said four PN ships - corvettes BRP Magat Salamat and BRP Miguel Malvar, Salvador Abcede, and coastal patrol craft BRP Teotimo Figuracion — as well as Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) BRP Pampanga are taking part in CARAT 2012.
Commander Joseph Coyme, spokesperson of the PCG Contingent in CARAT P012, said the Coast Guard exercises will cover search and rescue and emergency medical situation.
He said the Coast Watch Stations, which are operated by the PN and being worked out to be handled by the PCG, will have a communications exercise with the American’s P3C Orion aircraft.
CARAT 2012 aims to enhance combined inter-operability and capability between the Philippine Navy and United States Navy as well as to test its personnel and naval assets’ operational readiness and ultimately, improve the defense capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The
specific objectives of CARAT 2012 are: to enhance current PN and USN
and USGC and PCG capabilities in naval operations; increase the level of
interoperability between the navies and coast guards of both countries
in the conduct of combined naval operations focused in night time
operations; test and develop the combined communications
interoperability between the PN and USN; and promote situational
awareness and information sharing between PN and USN forces.(PNA)
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