The United States and Royal Thai navies have conducted an annual maritime training exercise to strengthen their Indo-Pacific region work.

The 27th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training exercise took place last week virtually and in the Gulf of Thailand as a contactless exercise to mitigate COVID-19 risk.

"The COVID-19 pandemic made 2021 a challenging year because of the health restrictions imposed to control the spread of the virus," Capt. Anurak P, chief of staff for Frigate Squadron 2 of the Royal Thai Navy, said during a virtual ceremony.

"Despite the impedances, we still manage to successfully finish the plan which shows the hard work and professionalism we devoted for this exercise," Anurak said.

The exercise demonstrated the U.S. and Thailand navies' ability to work together toward the common goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific maritime security environment, Destroyer Squadron, or DESRON, 7 Lt. Commander Lauren Chatmas said in a U.S. Pacific Fleet statement.

"The 27th iteration of CARAT Thailand represents the longstanding partnership and alliance between the people of Thailand, the United States and like-minded allies and partners," added Capt. Tom Ogden, DESRON 7 commander in the statement.

"While this exercise was contactless with the Royal Thai Navy, the opportunity to sail our ships and operate aircraft together as a unified force was impactful and developed mutual trust and further operational capability of both our nations."

The exercise included division tactics to enhance communication in complex maneuvers as ships sail together, a maritime domain awareness, or MDA, tracking exercise with P-8A Poseidon military patrol aircraft and surface ships, helicopter cross deck landings, and search and rescue exercises.

A virtual expert exchange featured job training opportunities, such as submarine search and rescue, diving operations, a Women Peace and Security symposium, MDA, anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol aircraft integrated operations.

The at-sea phase of the exercise occurred in territorial and international waters near Sattahip and Ko Samui, where USS Green Bay and a P-8A Poseidon aircraft joined with Thailand ships and aircraft for allied training.

The Royal Thai Navy ships included the Naresuan-class frigates HTMS Naresuan, HTMS Taksin, and HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej.

In the virtual subject matter expert exchange, the intergovernmental personnel from the European Union's Critical Maritime Routes Indo-Pacific initiative provided subject matter expertise for the first time.

The EU CRIMARIO exchange included a short brief on MDA and an exchange on boarding operations in the high seas.

The CARAT exercise began in 1995 and builds upon other engagements in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific region with each annual exercise including professional symposium and at-sea phase to strengthen combined operations, officials said.

USS Sioux City deploys to support counter-narcotics operations
 Washington DC (UPI) Sep 13, 2021 –

The littoral combat ship USS Sioux City has been deployed to support counter-narcotics operations in the U.S. Navy's Fourth Fleet area of operations.

The USS Sioux City, a Freedom-variant LCS, departed from its homeport of Naval Station Mayport last week to begin its deployment to support counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, according to a press release.

The Sioux City is traveling with the "Sea Knights" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22 Detachment 4 and embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment.

Sioux City's size, speed and agility make it ideal for operations that will include practical exercises and exchanges with partner nations to support the U.S. 4th Fleet's regional cooperation and security, officials said.

Sioux City's crew is manned by over 100 sailors and consists of surface warfare mission personnel, a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment, and an aviation detachment to operate the embarked MH-60S helicopter.

"This is my first deployment, which is why I'm so excited; I've been waiting about three and a half years to finally deploy," Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Kyle Wawrzenski, a new Sioux City crewmember, said in a press release.

"The fact that we have such a good crew makes it even more exciting and enjoyable for me. That's what is really going to make this a great deployment," Wawrzenski said.

The Sioux City previously returned home in December after being similarly deployed last summer for counter-narcotics operations.

During its last deployment, the Sioux City intercepted about 2,120 kilograms — well over 4,600 pounds — of cocaine.