U.S., India and Japan Participating in Annual Malabar Exercise in Bay of Bengal

October 16, 2015 10:28 AM
The Indian Navy guided-missile destroyer INS Ranvir (DDG-54), left, the Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JDS Kurama (DDH-144) are underway during Exercise Malabar 2009, an annual exercise led by the Indian Navy. US Navy photo.
The Indian Navy guided-missile destroyer INS Ranvir (DDG-54), left, the Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JDS Kurama (DDH-144) are underway during Exercise Malabar 2009, an annual exercise led by the Indian Navy. US Navy photo.

The U.S., Indian and Japanese navies are in the middle of the Malabar 2015 exercise, this year in Chennai, India, on the Bay of Bengal.

The annual exercise between India and the United States has on several occasions included the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and has previously involved other countries such as Australia and Singapore.

In this year’s event, sailors will attend ashore professional engagements including discussions on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, explosive ordnance disposal and more.

At sea, the three navies will plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment, according to a U.S. Navy statement. In addition to communications exercises and familiarization events early on, the exercise will progress to include helicopter cross-deck evolutions, underway replenishments, visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercises and anti-submarine warfare events.

The exercise, from Oct. 14 to 19, will involve USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) with embarked Carrier Air Wing 1, the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS-3), a P-8A Poseidon aircraft and a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine.

Last year’s Malabar event took place off the coast of Japan, and the 2007 event included more than 20,000 personnel from five navies. Each year’s exercise involves a different combination of platforms and personnel practicing a mix of anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, counter-piracy and other maritime security skills.

Megan Eckstein

Megan Eckstein

Megan Eckstein is the former deputy editor for USNI News.

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