3 US vessels to arrive in Puerto Princesa for exercises

By VR/Sunnex
Sun Star Manila, Friday, June 24,2011

THREE vessels from the United States will arrive in Puerto Princesa City on Tuesday as part of their participation in naval exercises with their Philippine counterpart, the second such exercise since 2008.

The USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), USS Howard (DDG 83), both guided missile destroyers, and the USNS Safeguard (T-ARS), a diving and salvage ship, are part of the US Navy's "centerpieces" for the 11-day exercise, US Navy Lieutenant Commodore Mike Morlet, information officer of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat), said in a statement.

The three vessels are staffed by 800 persons.

To be conducted until July 8, the exercise will take place at the Sulu Sea, which is located east of Palawan. The area lies on the opposite side of the disputed Spratly Islands, which is reportedly rich in oil and mineral deposits.

The upcoming training is the 17th in the series of the annual Carat exercises. Last year, the exercises were held at the former US naval base in Subic Bay and in Cebu the previous year.

Among the training exercises covered by the program include visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercises, diver training, salvage operations, joint medical, dental, and civic action projects, and aircrew familiarization exchanges.

"Additionally, there will be symposia on operations planning, search and rescue practices, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, interagency cooperation and public affairs," Morley said.

Meanwhile, the exercise's at-sea phase will be focused on "developing maritime security capabilities in areas such as maritime interdiction, information sharing, combined operations at sea, patrol operations and gunnery exercises, plus anti-piracy and anti-smuggling exercises."

Other participants to the exercises include the US Navy Seabees, A US Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST), US Navy Mobile Security Squadron, US Navy Riverine Forces, Medical Support personnel, and P-3C Orion and SH-60 Seahawk aircraft, he added.

For its part, the Philippines said four of its ships will be participating in the exercises, the Philippine Navy's spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay, said.

Besides the Philippines, the US also pursues similar CARAT exercises with the Armed Forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

US and Vietnam also figure in Carat-like event known as Naval Exchange Activity.

sunstar.com.ph

US, 6 Southeast Asian nations start exercise on vital sea lanes

By Donna Pazzibugan

Philippine Daily Inquirer, Monday, June 20, 2011

Multilateral naval exercises among the Philippines, United States and five other Southeast Asian nations in the region’s vital sea lanes will proceed to the exercise proper on Monday, officials said.

This year’s Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (Seacat) field training exercise would be held in “strategic points” along vital sea lanes stretching along the Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea and the Malacca Strait.

It is participated in by the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the United States.

The US-initiated Seacat is an annual exercise among the Navy units in the region meant to enhance interoperability and share tactical and doctrinal best practices in the fight against terrorists, poachers and transnational lawless elements in the region’s sea lanes.

The 10-day Seacat exercise started on June 14 with the command post exercise in preparation for the exercise proper.

The field training exercise (FTX) will be held on June 20-23, the Philippine Navy said.

Three Philippine Navy ships and their counterparts will track down, do surveillance and interdict a ship designated as the “contact of interest” which for this year is the USS Safeguard, a rescue and salvage ship.

The Philippine Navy exercise director, Capt. Franco Sebastian Pan, said the exercise would involve surface, air and special operations units from the different participating Navies within their territories.

Pan said a maritime interdiction operations scenario that included three boarding simulations would take place in the Philippine exercise area in the Sulu and Celebes Seas.

This year’s Seacat exercise is centered on Changi, Singapore, where the exercise command and control facility is located.

A battle staff from each participating Navy is organized in their respective navy headquarters to monitor all the activities of the exercise.

The multilateral Seacat exercise is held back-to-back with a bilateral naval exercise between the Philippines and the United States in the Sulu Sea.

This year’s Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat) exercise with the United States is set from June 28 to July 8 in the Sulu Sea east of Palawan and comes amid tension between the Philippines and China over the contested Spratly chain of islands in the West Philippine Sea.

A Navy spokesperson, however, said the details of the two annual exercises were arranged beforehand.

newsinfo.inquirer.net

2 USS destroyer bababad sa Pinas

By JB Salarzon/Rose Miranda
Abante, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Sampung araw na bababad sa katubigan ng Pilipinas ang dalawang sasakyang pandigma ng Estados Unidos, kasama ang isang United States Navy Ship (USNS) para sa gagawing joint naval exercises ng Philippine Navy sa Sulu Sea.

Ayon kay Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, tagapagsalita ng Navy, makakasama sa aktibidad ang USS destroyer ‘Chung-Hoon’ (DDG 93), USS destroyer ‘Howard’ (DDG 83) at ang auxiliary support vessel na USNS ‘Safeguard’ (ARS 50) para sa 2011 Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT).

“Gaganapin ‘yung CARAT simula Hunyo 28 hanggang Hulyo 8,” ani Tonsay.

Ang Sulu Sea ay matatagpuan sa west eastern na bahagi ng Palawan.

Ang Chung-Hoon na may lulang 280 sailors ay umalis sa Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam base noong Hunyo 1 sa Hawaii patungong Western Pacific.

Hindi na ito ang unang pagkakataon na sasali ang Chung-Hoon sa military exercises sa bansa dahil nakasama rin ito ng Philippine Coast Guard noong nakaraang taon sa ginawang “boarding and searching vessels” sa Sulu Sea.

Sinabi ni Tonsay na ang Chung-Hoon ay nasa international waters pa lamang sa kanlurang bahagi ng bansa.

Sa bahagi naman ng Philippine Navy, sinabi ni Tonsay na na apat na barko at isang eroplano ang makakasali sa CARAT.

“We will be deploying in the joint exercises a patrol ship, two patrol gunboats and a logistic/landing ship. We will also deploy an Islander aircraft,” ani Tonsay.

Nilinaw din nito na walang kinalaman ang tensyon sa Spratlys ang gagawing CARAT dahil ito’y taunang ginagawa sa loob ng nakalipas na 10 taon.

Kaugnay nito, iniulat kahapon ng Malacañang na pinalalakas na ng pamahalaan ang kapasidad ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) para sa mas epektibong proteksyon sa karagatan ng Pilipinas.

abante.com.ph

US Naval units due for exercises

By Victor Reyes
Malaya, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

TWO United States destroyers and a salvage ship are proceeding to the country later this month to take part in exercises with their Filipino counterparts off Palawan.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay however said the exercises, dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) has nothing to do with the renewed territorial dispute over the Spratlys in the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea.

Tonsay said the annual training exercises would be pursued east of Palawan or in the Sulu Sea from June 28 up to July 8. The Spratlys - claimed by the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei - is located west of Palawan.

Tonsay said the three US ships taking part in the exercises are USS Chung-Hoon and USS Howard, which are classified as destroyer ships; and USNS Safeguard, a rescue and salvage ship. He could not immediately say how many US servicemen will take part.

He said the USS Chung-Hoon is currently somewhere in international waters in the West Philippine Sea.

The CARAT exercises have been held for more than 10 years. The US is also conducting similar exercises with Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Tonsay statement’s came after Vietnam began yesterday conducting live fire exercises in its claimed territory in the South China Sea.

Like the Philippines, Vietnam recently accused China of violating its sovereignty.

malaya.com.ph

RP-US naval exercises in Palawan

By Aaron Recuenco

Manila Bulletin, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the rising tension over the disputed Spratly Islands, the naval forces of the United States and the Philippines will be holding almost two weeks of military war games off Palawan late this month.

But Marines Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, Navy spokesman, said the joint military exercises are not a show of force with the country’s long-time ally, although the site of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) for this year is proximate to the disputed island group.

“This is not related to that issue, this has been planned long before,” said Tonsay.

The Spratlys controversy cropped anew after the Philippines accused China of bullying and intruding in the disputed island groups which was backed up by another claimantcountry, Vietnam.

While the Philippines and Vietnam have been very vocal on the alleged bullying, it was Vietnam which reportedly started live-fire exercises near the disputed island group.

Tonsay would not confirm Vietnam’s live-fire drill, but stressed that no live-fire exercises are scheduled in the joint exercises between US and Philippines navies from June 28 to July 8.

What were initially listed, he revealed, are diving exercises, salvage exercises at sea, and sea training exercise, among others.

But even if there would be live-fire exercises, Tonsay stressed that other claimant-countries should not intervene for as long as they are held in international waters and within their respective territories.

“It (Vietnam live-fire drill) is not a provocative action, it is not a threat to security for as long as it is held in international waters or within its territory,” said Tonsay.

“In the same way that they are not supposed to take actions if we hold exercises within our territorial waters, all they could do is to monitor,” he added.

He said the CARAT activities is definitely not a provocative action on the part of the Philippines since both the US and the Philippines have been holding the exercises for 10 years now.

It was not clear, however, if this year’s CARAT will be held off Palawan for the first time. All that Tonsay could confirm is that CARAT activities are rotated in various parts of the country since it began 10 years ago.

“The objective is interoperability, our ability to operate with the US and vice versa and exchange of doctrinal and tactical best practices,” said Tonsay.

Tonsay revealed that three US ships will participate in the war games—USNS Safeguard, USS Howard and USS Chung Hoon— and will be joined by four Philippine Navy ships.

mb.com.ph

3 US warships join war games

By Dona Pazzibugan, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Three American warships and four Philippine Navy vessels will take part in naval training exercises between the Philippines and the United States to be held June 28-July 8 in the Sulu Sea.

The Philippine Navy said holding this year’s Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat) exercise in the waters east of Palawan province had been arranged before the renewed conflict with China over the disputed Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea.

“It had been planned beforehand,” said Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, the Navy spokesperson.

“It’s been going on for more than 10 years now … Last year it was held in the Zambales area, this year in the Palawan area, next year it will be in the Zamboanga area,” Tonsay added, explaining that the venue is rotated among the six naval forces around the country.

Tonsay said it was not the first time the annual exercise would be held in the Sulu Sea.

The last Carat exercise took place in October last year at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority area in Zambales province where the former American naval base used to be.

Five Philippine Navy ships with about 1,000 sailors and Marines then trained with more than 3,000 of their American counterparts brought in by six US Navy vessels and three aircraft that participated in the annual exercise.

Tonsay said this year’s Carat exercise involved sea training, salvage, diving, community relations work and experts exchange.

It will not include live-fire drills, he said.

The participating US warships are the destroyers USS Chung-Hoon and USS Howard, and a rescue and salvage ship USNS Safeguard.

Tonsay said the USS Chung-Hoon was in international waters west of the Philippines but had not yet entered Philippine territory.

Carat is conducted in accordance with the PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty. It aims to ensure interoperability between the Philippine Navy and US Navy and a venue for the exchange of doctrinal and tactical best practices.

Inquirer News

US ships off to Palawan for PHL-US naval exercises

GMA news, Monday, June 13, 2011

Two United States Navy destroyers and a salvage ship are sailing to the Philippines this month for naval training exercises with Filipino counterparts off Palawan province, a Philippine Navy official said Monday.

The naval exercises come at a time of renewed tensions between the Philippines and China over the alleged intrusion of Chinese vessels into Philippine territorial waters near Palawan, but Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay said the situation is a mere coincidence.

“Hindi related," said Tonsay in an interview Monday. “Matagal na siyang ginaganap between [the] third and second quarters. So, talagang every year."

Dubbed as the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training or CARAT, the exercises will be held from June 28 to July 8 within the Sulu Sea, just east of Palawan.

The US ships involved are the USS Chung-Hoon and USS Howard — a class of destroyers — and the rescue and salvage ship USNS Safeguard. As he is not privy to the information, Tonsay could not immediately say how many US servicemen will join CARAT.

From the Philippines, the official said four Navy ships will take part in the exercises. He also did not have the information on which ships and how many Filipino servicemen will take part in the naval exercises.

US and Philippine naval forces have been pursuing CARAT for over 10 years now. The US has the same arrangement with Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Exchange of best practices

“The objective is interoperability, our ability to operate with the US and vice versa and exchange of doctrinal and tactical best practices. We adopt their best practices if we can, and vice versa," Tonsay said.

Tonsay announcement came on the heels of a similar report from Vietnam which has staged live fire exercises within its territorial waters in the South China Sea. Like the Philippines, Vietnam has recently accused China of violating its sovereignty.

Apart from military operations, Tonsay that CARAT shall encompass community relations, diving and salvage exercises, and other “at-sea" training exercises, as well as subject matter expert exchange.

“In at-sea or fleeting training exercises, all will be covered. All tactics involved at sea will be covered…" he added.

GMA news

Joint naval exercise not linked to West Philippine Sea row - Navy

By Abigail Kwok, Monday, June 13, 2011

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines and the United States are set
to hold joint naval exercises on Sulu Sea, off the coast of Palawan,
later this month, but a Navy spokesman here said these were not at all related to the dispute over the West Philippine Sea.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay said Monday the Cooperation Afloat
Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises will be held from June 28 to
July 8 on Sulu Sea, specifically east of Puerto Princesa City. Joint US
and Philippine military forces will hold a series of activities such
as diving exercises, salvage exercises, sea training exercise and
community relations.

"The objective, as always, is interoperability, specifically on our
ability to operate with the US and vice versa and exchange of
doctrinal and tactical best practices. We will observe and adopt their
best practices and vice versa," Tonsay told reporters.

The official denied that the exercises were connected to the ongoing
tension over the Spratly Islands, where the Philippines recently filed
a diplomatic protest against China for its incursions on
Philippine-claimed territories.

"It's not related... and the exercises are being done annually, between
the second and third quarter of every year," Tonsay said.

Three US ships -- USS Chung Hoon, USS Howard, and USNS Safeguard --
are expected to participate in the exercises.

Tonsay stressed that the CARAT exercises have been held annually for over
10 years now, with the venue rotating in various parts of the country.

InterAksyon

Joint PH-US navy training off Palawan all set for end of June

By Philippine News Agency, Monday, June 13, 2011

Amid rising tensions off Palawan and in the South China Sea, the Philippine Navy said it is all set for an annual naval training exercise with the United States Navy, slated for June 28 to July 8, off Palawan shorelines.

The joint training exercise, dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training or CARAT, is mandated under the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty. This year’s exercise will be held east of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan and in Sulu Sea.

CARAT 2011 is a combined naval tactical operations exercise involving fleet forces of both the Philippine and U.S. navies.

PN spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Omar Tonsay said the exercise is not related to the dispute on Spratly islands. “We’ve been doing this (for more than a decade), so there’s no politics here,” he stressed.

Several activities, including non-military events, are lined up for the exercise. These include community relations projects and medical/dental/engineering civic action projects in host communities.

Tonsay told reporters CARAT’s goal is to strengthen the cooperation between the PHL and U.S. navies in thwarting intercontinental and trans-border crimes, piracy and maritime terrorism which are growing concerns of the global community.

He said CARAT has been done for more than 10 years already. Last year, it was held off Zambales province.
Tonsay said he does not have the figures yet on how many troops and number of ships will be deployed for CARAT 2011, but the U.S. Navy is sending USS Chung Hoon, USS Howard and USNS Safeguard.

interaksyon.com