S'PORE, US FORCES EXERCISE IN CARAT

More than 1,500 personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the United States Navy (USN), the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) are participating in the annual Co-operation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) bilateral exercise from 31 May to 13 Jun.

Speaking at the opening ceremony at Changi Naval Base on 31 May, both Singapore's Fleet Commander, Colonel (COL) Chew Mun Leong, and US Commander Logistics Group Western Pacific, Rear-Admiral (RADM) Kevin Quinn, highlighted that Ex CARAT was a highpoint of the bilateral defence co-operation between the two countries.

"If there is a hallmark of the CARAT series, it has been the commitment of the US Armed Forces working closely with Singapore to continuously further the boundaries of complexity and interoperability," said COL Chew.

In line with Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean's address at IMDEX Asia 2005, which was held earlier this month, Ex CARAT drives home the need for countries to move beyond policy dialogues and seminars to joint maritime security exercises.

"Many of the skills and technologies we exercise in CARAT can be directly applied to the ongoing regional maritime security efforts the Minister for Defence spoke of," said RADM Kevin Quinn.

The eleventh in its series, Ex CARAT 2005 will involve 12 ships and a submarine, as well as fixed and rotary wing aircraft from the SAF and the US forces.

The exercise will focus on conventional maritime warfare capabilities in the areas of anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime air operations, diving and salvage operations, and logistics support.

The exercise will also feature for the first time a shore-based Combined RSN-USN CARAT HQ, which will exercise real-time control over all participating units.

Another key highlight of Ex CARAT 2005 will be the conducting of the combined MISSILEX, comprising a Barak-missile firing at a drone flying the profile of an incoming enemy aircraft at a higher altitude and the firing of the Mistral SAM from the RSS Endeavour against drone targets.

"CARAT 2005, as with the previous years, remains a multi-faceted exercise. Such a broad spectrum will go a long way in strengthening interoperability between the two sides," said COL Chew.

"There is nothing more important than for all participants of CARAT 2005 to utilise all interaction opportunities to get to know their counterparts, forge new bonds of friendship and reinvigorate existing ones," he added.