Second CARAT Phase Closes in Thailand
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS060628-11
Release Date: 6/28/2006 2:08:00 PM
By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Melinda Larson, Destroyer Squadron 1 Public Affairs
SATTAHIP, Thailand (NNS) -- The Thailand phase of exercise series Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) ended June 27 during a closing ceremony at the Royal Thai Navy’s (RTN) Frigate Squadron 2 piers here.
The combined USN/RTN task group accomplished more than two hundred scheduled exercise events during the weeklong, multifaceted exercise designed to build working relationships between the two navies.
“With multinational responses to regional contingencies such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief becoming more common, we owe it to ourselves to work together routinely in a realistic training environment such as CARAT,” said CARAT’s executive agent Rear Adm. William Burke during his closing remarks.
The enhancement of regional cooperation, promotion of understanding between participating military forces and the continuing development of their operational readiness are the primary goals of CARAT and were accomplished during many training events, including an amphibious landing with 20 Royal Thai marines and 25 RTN medical professionals who embarked USS Tortuga (LSD 46) during the two-day at-sea phase. Going ashore on air cushion landing craft (LCAC), the marines executed a mock raid at the beach.
“The ability to put personnel, equipment and material ashore from the sea is a key capability in a variety of scenarios,” Burke said. "The fact that our two nations know how to do it as a team makes us a strong combined force."
During the mock raid while the marines assaulted the beach, the medical team practiced medical evacuation procedures. The medics then transported the wounded back to Tortuga.
“We were able to interact with one another so we know that if we had to respond to a natural disaster together we would be familiar with each other’s procedures and would be able to work together to help patients,” said Lt. Mercedes Lau, Tortuga’s dental and triage officer.
Lau also worked in tandem with her Thai dental and medical counterparts ashore during three days of medical and dental services where more than 1,000 Thai citizens received medical and dental care from the combined medical team.
Other community service and civic action projects ashore included construction of a new community center by Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 Seabees. In addition, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen assembled 50 wheelchairs that, along with other medical supplies, were donated to local schools and charities. The CARAT task group volunteers also interacted with blind, deaf and disabled children as part of CARAT Thailand.
“It’s the personal experiences and relationships that we develop and build on during CARAT that put us in such a great position to succeed at combined operations,” said Burke. “These projects not only serve as another opportunity for our forces to work together, but also benefit those in need.”
Team building is a goal of CARAT, and both navies coordinated their efforts in many areas, including visit, board, search and seizure procedures, maritime surveillance, mine warfare, diving and salvage, and maritime law.
Gunnery exercises were another major piece of the CARAT at-sea phase. Gunnery practice was accomplished using ship-deployed surface targets and a target drone launched by Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa Targets Division.
During the at-sea phase, the seven-ship task group was able to communicate via the Combined Enterprise Network Regional Information Exchange System (CENTRIXS).
“CENTRIXS is a great system that allows our navies to communicate in text-based formats, which really enhances our combined command and control capability,” Burke said.
The combined task group numbered over 2,000 people, and Burke lauded them for their efforts, which have potential global implications.
“CARAT is a prime opportunity to improve our interoperability. Our Sailors, Coast Guardsmen and Marines working together as they’ve been doing for the past week is another step forward in the growth of the relationship between our sea services,” Burke said. “That relationship is more important today than it has ever been. More than half of the world’s economy comes from the great Asia-Pacific region, and a stable maritime environment is critical to the flow of that trade, which is vital to all nations.”
The bilateral, summer-long CARAT series will continue throughout Southeast Asia with the nations of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The exercise began in Singapore.
The CARAT task group is led by Capt. Al Collins, commander of Destroyer Squadron 1. Collins is embarked aboard Tortuga, which operates from Sasebo, Japan, as part of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s Forward Deployed Naval Forces. Collins’ staff is based in San Diego. The other U.S. CARAT task group ships are USS Hopper (DDG 70), USS Crommelin (FFG 37), USS Salvor (ARS 52) and the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Sherman (WHEC 720). Hopper, Crommelin and Salvor are homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Sherman is homeported in Alameda, Calif.
RTN ships participating in the exercise included the missile corvettes HTMS Ratanakosin (441) and HTMS Kirirat (432), tank landing ship HTMS Surin (722), counter-mine ship HTMS Bangrachan (631) and the frigate HTMS Taksin (422).
For related news, visit the Commander Task Force 73 Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/clwp/.
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