'Malabar 2018' focuses on increasing maritime interoperability

<p>Guam Coast [USA], June 19 (ANI): A trilateral maritime exercise, Malabar 2018, between the United States, Japan, and Indian maritime services was conducted off the Guam Coast from June 7 to 16.</p><p>The exercise was focused on increasing maritime interoperability training objectives among the three maritime forces, emphasising high-end war fighting skills, maritime superiority, and power projection.</p><p>The exercise was held in two phases in Guam and the Philippine Sea.</p><p>The Guam exercise included a session by subject matter experts and professionals who discussed maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, helicopter operations, ship tours, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.</p><p>The at-sea portions conducted in the Philippine Sea were designed to advance participating nations' military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.</p><p>Multiple sessions were held at the Philippine Sea including professional exchanges and embark a photo exercise, submarine familiarisation, high-value unit defense, air defense exercises, surface warfare exercises, communications exercises, search and rescue exercises, helicopter cross-deck evolutions, underway replenishments, gunnery exercises, VBSS exercises, and anti-submarine warfare.</p><p>Initiated in 1992, Malabar exercise used to be conducted between India and the United States. Later in 2015, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force also joined the exercise.</p><p>Malabar Exercise 2018 was the first one to be conducted in the Guam operation region. (ANI)</p><br/><center><em><p>This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI</p></em></center>

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