PN-US SEACAT exercise 2011

Zamboanga Today, Friday, June 24, 2011

The Naval Forces Western Mindanao participated in the conduct of PN-USN exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT 2011) together with other Naval Forces and Philippine Navy units in Mindanao area of operation from 14-24 June 2011 in the vicinity of Sulu Sea and Zamboanga Peninsula area of responsibility.

The purpose of the SEACAT 2011 training exercise is to give equal opportunity to both nations’ navies in dealing with maritime cooperation at sea. The exercise SEACAT is a scenario driven fleet training activity which focuses on real time information exchange, coordinated surveillance operations, tracking, and eventual conduct of actual vessel board search and seizure (VBSS) to the maritime contact of interest (COI). For this year, the exercise was conducted at the AORs of Naval Forces West, (NFW), Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM), and Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) respectively. The activity also involved PN surface, air and special operations units in the conduct of surveillance, tracking, and boarding of the contact of interest (The USS Safeguard Ship). One maritime Interdiction operations (MIO) scenario was conducted at each Naval Forces area of operation. The Naval Task Force 61 under NFWM took part in the PN-USN exercise SEACAT2011 in the vicinity of NFWM AOR utilizing PN assets particularly PG 117, PG390, DF333 and Naval Special Operation Unit 6 personnel (SEAL Teams) upon arrival of the Contact of Interest (COI)at the designated boarding area specifically in Basilan Strait on 22 June 2011. Boarding opportunity during the exercise was conducted by one (1) SEAL team aboard their two (2) 11- meters (RHIBS) with PG390 as support vessel in the said scenario.Likewise, Coast Watch South Center and all available CWS stations of all Naval Forces West, Western Mindanao and Eastern Mindanaowere utilized in order to test their capabilities in surveillance, tracking, and communications and operations activities. The end state of the exercise SEACAT 2011 is to promote regional coordination, combined inter-operability and also enhance the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) capabilities in its mandate to fight global terrorism, transnational crimes, and other maritime treats in the region as well. The exercise SEACAT 2011 was culminated after the completion of the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) and upon signal from NFWM Exercise Battle Staff aboard Naval Forces Western Mindanao Operation Center.

zamboangatoday.ph

Navy ng amerika,magsu-surveilance sa 'Pinas

By Marvin Ramirez

Toro, Monday, June 20, 2011

UUMPISAHAN ngayon combined navy units mula sa mga bansa sa Southeast Asia ang apat na araw na field trainng Exercise (FTX), bilang bahagi parin ng pagpapaigting ng maritime cooperation sa rehiyon.

Sa pahayag ni Southeast Asia Cooperation and training (SEACAT 2011) Director for the Philippine Navy (PN), Capt. Franco Sebastian Pan, gagawin ang nabanggit na aktibidad sa buong Southeast Asia maritime domain, partikular sa mga istrategic points ng mga sea lanes.

Inaasahan umano sa nasabing ensayo ang pagpasok ng USS Safeguard ng Unites states Navy sa area of responsibility ng Pilipinas, para magsagawa ng icoordinated surveillance operations, tracking at board and seizure.

This includes the movement of the USS Safeguard as the Contact of Interest (COI) to Philippine area of responsibility for coordinated,surveillance operations,tracking, and eventual conduct of visit board search and seizure aboard the COI.

Sa panig ng Philippine Navy, kabilang sa mga lalahukang aktibidad ay ang maritime surveillance tracking,interdiction and boarding and searching operations.

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

Sea exercises

By Elena Aben

Manila Bulletin, Sunday, June 19, 2011

MANILA, Philippines -- Amid mounting tension over disputing claims to islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the Philippine Navy (PN) joined five other navies from Southeast Asian countries in maritime security exercises with the United States Navy (USN) known as the Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism (SEACAT), the military said Sunday.

Commodore Miguel Jose Rodriguez, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, expressed hope that after the 10th annual SEACAT, the PN may soon hold the same exercise with the Chinese Navy.

“It’s normal for navies to conduct drills, the Philippine Navy does them all the time,” Rodriguez said. “We’re now having SEACAT with other Asian countries, then by end of June we will have CARAT with the US Navy. No cause for worry. We hope someday we can exercise with the Chinese Navy.”

SEACAT is led by the US Navy and is centered this year in Changi, Singapore, where the exercise command and control center is located. A battle staff from each participating navy is organized in the respective navy headquarters of the participants to monitor all the activities of the exercise.

CARAT, which means Cooperation Readiness Afloat Training, is an annual bilateral exercise that embodies the spirit of the longstanding cooperative relationship between the Philippine Navy (PN) and the USN.

Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, PN spokesman, said: “Combined navy units from participating Southeast Asian countries hold the SEACAT 2011 exercises as scheduled with the recent conduct of Command Post Exercise (CPX) and preparations for the forthcoming holding of a Field Training Exercise (FTX) on June 20 - 23, 2011 at strategic points of the exercise area.”

According to exercise orders issued by SEACAT 2011 exercise director for the Philippine Navy, Capt. Franco Sebastian T. Pan, the CPX is designed to exercise communication flow and decision-making processes in preparation for the FTX.

Pan said Philippine Navy liaison officers together with their counterparts from the other participating countries will consolidate and be posted at the Change Command and Control Center in Singapore. He added an FTX will take place throughout the Southeast Asia maritime domain particularly along strategic points of its vital sea lanes.

“This includes the movement of the USS Safeguard as the Contact of Interest (CoI) to Philippine area of responsibility for coordinated surveillance operations, tracking, and eventual conduct of Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) aboard the CoI,” said Pan.

Philippines wants peace not war

While moving to upgrade its defense capability, the Philippine government said it seeks peace not war in a territorial spat with China in the West Philippine Sea.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the government has constantly pushed for a diplomatic solution to the maritime conflict with China, especially the adherence to the international law to preserve peace in the region.

Malacañang hailed six Asian neighbors for supporting the call for a peaceful settlement to the sea dispute in the region, saying this has been Manila’s position since the conflict started.

“We welcome the multilateral call of the six ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-member nations for a peaceful resolution. We all have a stake in the peace and stability in the region. That has been our country’s call and approach to this dispute in the West Philippine Sea,” Lacierda said.

During a United Nations (UN) meeting in New York City last week, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos have called for the peaceful resolution to the conflict in the disputed territory in the South China Sea.

The six countries belonging to the ASEAN also pressed the use of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) to settle any maritime dispute among neighbors.

Other members of the regional bloc are the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

“I would reiterate that the Philippines is in total agreement with the statement. ASEAN is united in this,” Secretary Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) said.

Earlier, President Aquino said the government will not be bullied by China in a conflict over the West Philippine Sea, insisting China should desist from venturing into the country’s legitimate waters.

The President also vowed to increase government spending to upgrade the military’s capability to guard the country’s waters.

“By enhancing the capability of the military, we will no longer be bullied by any nation in times of conflict such as the dispute in the West Philippine Sea,” he said last week.

Meantime, the government is planning to spend around P40 billion in the next five years to enhance the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in protecting the national territory.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad Jr. said the government intends to allocate P8-billion increase in the modernization program of the AFP starting next year. Abad explained though that the President approved the additional budget for the military “way before the tensions rose.”

Another P8 billion or higher may be allocated in 2012 depending on the government’s fiscal condition, said Abad.

This year, the Aquino administration allocated P11 billion to bankroll the AFP modernization program.

He explained though that the President approved the additional budget for the military “way before the tensions rose.”

“It’s meant to secure the perimeter of Malampaya (gas field in Palawan). Certainly, it’s not enough to cover our requirements but it is substantial enough to start with,” the budget chief said.

AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. welcomed the planned increase in the military’s modernization program, saying they will produce a list of priority acquisition mainly to upgrade the military’s “baseline capability.”

Among the priority military purchases are helicopters, transport aircrafts, and sealift vessels.

Oban said the Hamilton Class Cutter from the United States will be initially deployed to Palawan, around 80 nautical miles from Recto Bank, when it arrives later this year.

He said the military also plans to increase its “coast watch system” within 200 nautical miles of the country’s exclusive economic zone in Palawan.

He said the AFP modernization program is a priority of the Aquino administration “that has been neglected over the years.”

He said the planned increased budget for the AFP does not yet include investments to strengthen the Philippine Coast Guard.

mb.com.ph

Naval Forces Western Mindanao joins 6-nation exercise

Mindanews, Thursday, June 16, 2011

ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/15 June) – The Naval Forces Western Mindanao is participating in the 10-day annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) that kicked off Tuesday, June 14.

A Philippine Navy official said the unit forms part of the Philippine contingent that joined the navy forces from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the United States Navy in the combined exercise aimed to enhance interoperability and share best practices.

Codenamed SEACAT 2011, it is being held in Malacca Strait, Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea and will end on Friday, June 24.

SEACAT 2011 exercise director Navy Captain Sebastian Pan said the other Philippine Navy contingents are from the Naval Forces West and Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao.

Pan said they will participate together with the U.S. Navy in a scenario-driven fleet training exercise against terrorism, transnational crimes and other maritime threats which focuses on real time information exchange, coordinated surveillance operations, tracking, and eventual conduct of Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) to the maritime Contact of Interest (COI).

“This activity will involve surface, air, and special operations units in the conduct of surveillance, tracking, and boarding of the COI from the different participating navies within their respective maritime territories,” Pan said in a statement.

He said three ships from the NFWM, NFEM and NFW commands are participating in this year’s SEACAT 2011 exercise.

As practiced in the yearly SEACAT, Pan said that several ships from each participating Southeast Asian navy will join the training with the one U.S. Navy ship, USS Safeguard, designated as the COI for the participating Southeast Asian navies.

He said one maritime interdiction operations scenario with boarding opportunity will be conducted at the Sulu and Mindanao Seas.

He said the SEACAT exercise is a yearly combined exercise conducted at vital sea lanes in Southeast Asia to ensure control of vital sea lanes from terrorists, poachers, and transnational lawless elements.

“This exercise aims to promote regional coordination, information sharing and interoperability in a multilateral environment,” Pan said.

With this exercise, Pan said the Philippine Navy will be able to enhance regional coordination, information sharing, and combined inter-operability capability with participating navies in the region, test its personnel and naval assets operational readiness and ultimately, improve the defense capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

mindanews.com

US leads Asean war games in Sulu, Palawan

By Donna Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Wednesday, June 15, 2011

A US-led naval exercise in the Sulu Sea involving the Philippines and five other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) began on Tuesday.

In the next 10 days, combined naval units from the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States will be in the Sulu Sea, Malacca Strait and Celebes Sea.

The naval exercise will be followed by another naval training exercise between the Philippines and the United States in the Sulu Sea. The Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat) exercise from June 28 to July 8 will be held in the waters east of Palawan.

Dubbed the Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (Seacat), the annual maritime exercise initiated by the United States covers training against terrorism, transnational crimes “and other maritime threats.”

A Philippine Navy spokesperson said the naval exercises had been arranged before fresh tension broke out between the Philippines and China over the disputed Spratly islands.

Asset reinforcement

The exercise coincided with a visit by Philippine Navy chief Vice Adm. Alexander Pama at the Naval Forces West in Palawan, his first since assuming office in January. It came as the military was reinforcing its naval and air assets in the West Philippine Sea.

The Navy spokesperson, Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, said Pama toured Naval Station Apolinario Jalandoon, headquarters of the Naval Forces West, as well as the Oyster Bay detachment at Naval Station Carlito Cunanan in Ulugan Point, Macarascas, Puerto Princesa City.

Pama also paid a courtesy call on the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command commander, Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban, who is based in Puerto Princesa.

The BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, acquired from the US Coast Guard and due to arrive in August, will be stationed at Naval Station Carlito Cunanan, 260 kilometers (140 nautical miles) from Recto Bank (Reed Bank) facing the West Philippine Sea.

Capt. Sebastian Pan, Philippine exercise director, said three Philippine Navy ships would participate in this year’s Seacat exercise. The USS Safeguard, a rescue and salvage ship, was designated as “contact of interest,” or COI.

Special operations

“This activity will involve surface, air, and special operations units in the conduct of surveillance, tracking, and boarding of the COI from the different participating navies within their respective maritime territories,” Pan said.

He said maritime interdiction operations with boarding opportunity would be conducted in the Sulu and Mindanao Seas.

The Coast Watch stations of the participating naval forces will be utilized to exercise their capabilities in surveillance, tracking, communications and operations.

The annual Seacat exercise is conducted to protect vital sea lanes in Southeast Asia from terrorists, poachers and transnational lawless elements.

The exercise aims to promote “regional coordination, information sharing and interoperability in a multilateral environment.”

Venues are determined in advance in planning sessions with participating navies.

newsinfo.inquirer.net

Southeast Asian, US naval forces conduct joint training exercises

By Abigail Kwok

Interaksyon, Wednesday, June 15, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - Naval forces from various Southeast Asian countries and the United States are holding joint combined exercises in a bid to improve interoperability and share best practices.

The Philippine Navy has joined the respective navy forces of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the United States for the annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) exercises that will be held from June 14 to 24 in the Malacca Strait, Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea. In a statement Tuesday, the Philippine Navy said its units from the Naval Forces West (NFW), Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM), and Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) will participate in scenario-driven fleet training exercises against terrorism, transnational crimes and other maritime threats.“Three ships from the three Naval forces of the Philippine Navy will participate in this year’s exercise,” said Navy Captain Sebastian Pan.SEACAT is a yearly combined exercise conducted along vital sea lanes in Southeast Asia to ensure their control from terrorists, poachers, and transnational lawless elements."With this training, the Philippine Navy will be able to enhance regional coordination, information sharing, and combined inter-operability capability with participating navies in the region, test its personnel and naval assets' operational readiness and ultimately, improve the defense capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines," the Philippine Navy said.

interaksyon.com

US uses Safeguard for training in West PH Sea

By ABS-CBN News, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - Navy units from the Philippines, United States and other Southeast Asian nations are doing training exercises in the West Philippine Sea, more popularly known as the South China Sea, amid territorial tensions in the area.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay said the training, called Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT), is only meant “to enhance interoperability and share practices.”

The other delegates are from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei and Malaysia are also involved in the South China Sea territorial dispute.

Tonsay said the Philippine Navy has deployed three ships for the training.

The US, on the other hand, will be using the USNS Safeguard, which is a rescue and salvage ship.

"They will participate together with the US Navy in a scenario-driven fleet training exercise against terrorism, transnational crimes and other maritime threats which focuses on real time information exchange, coordinated surveillance operations, tracking, and eventual conduct of Visit Board Search and Seizure to the maritime Contact of Interest,” Tonsay said.

He explained the SEACAT is an annual event, with the venue determined in advance.

"Venues have been determined in advance during coordinated planning sessions and are finalized following confirmation from all participating navies. This exercise aims to promote regional coordination, information sharing and interoperability in a multilateral environment," said Tonsay.

abs-cbnnews.com

Philippines joins SE Asia, US in naval drills

By Xinhua

The Brunei Times, Wednesday, June 15, 2011

THE Philippine Navy has joined navy units of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the US for a 10-day annual exercise starting yesterday to enhance interoperability and share best practices.

According to Navy Captain Sebastian Pan, the exercise director, the Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) will take place in Malacca Strait, Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea until June 24.Pan said the navy units of the five Southeast Asian countries together with the US Navy will participate in a scenario-driven fleet training exercise against terrorism, transnational crimes and other maritime threats."This activity will involve surface, air, and special operations units in the conduct of surveillance, tracking, and boarding of the COI from the different participating navies within their respective maritime territories," he said. Exercise SEACAT is an annual combined exercise conducted at vital sea lanes in Southeast Asia to ensure control of sea lanes from terrorists, poachers, and transnational lawless elements.Venues have been determined in advance during coordinated planning sessions and are finalised following confirmation from all participating navies. This exercise aims to promote regional coordination, information sharing and interoperability in a multilateral environment.

bruneitimes.com.bn