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Personal Relationships Key to Malabar

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070907-14
Release Date: 9/7/2007 2:46:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dustin Q. Diaz, USS Nimitz Public Affairs

USS Nimitz, At Sea (NNS) -- The deployed nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and Indian aircraft carrier INS Viraat (R 22) are participating in military-to-military personnel exchanges during the multilateral exercise Malabar 2007 Sept. 4 through Sept. 7 to further enhance interpersonal relationships.

The multilateral maritime training exercise is typically held between the Indian and U.S. navies. For this exercise, the Indian Navy invited the navies of Singapore, Japan and Australia to participate, expanding the opportunities for face time, according to Indian Navy Rear Adm. Robin Dhowan, commander-in-chief, Indian Eastern Fleet.

“Crew swaps are an essential part of any multilateral exercise,” Dhowan said. “This is the first time Malabar has been taken to this level, and I feel it will take cooperation to a new high.”

Among the first to cross-deck from Nimitz was Rear Adm. Terry Blake, Commander, Carrier Strike Group 11, and two officers assigned to the “Wallbangers” of Carrier Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 117. Lt. Cmdr. Phil Clement and Lt. j.g. Matt Robins, cross-decked to Viraat via helicopter on the first day of the exercise.

“The way you work well is face-to-face,” Blake said. “I did it as a junior officer and established relationships as an O-2 that still serve me today.”

Dhowan said that personnel in every mission area will cross deck during Malabar, from brown-shoe Sailors working on the flight deck to engineers.

“Every dimension has been covered, including surface warfare, subsurface and aviation,” Dhowan said. “We have established relationships leading up to the exercise during the months of planning, and now we are simplifying procedures and seeing the fruits of our labors play out.”

Blake agreed, saying that this Malabar exercise will build on previous interaction between the two nations, and the interoperability gained in this exercise will assist in high-level warfighting efforts, as well as future humanitarian efforts, should the nations need to cooperate in case of an emergency in either event in the future.

“The world is a community, and it always pays to have interaction,” Blake said. “The principle focus is to increase interoperability, and having mutual understanding is key to that.”

As one of the first handful of personnel to cross-deck to Viraat, Clement said he was impressed by Viraat and its personnel and enjoyed talking to them around the ship, from below decks up to the flight deck.

“I had a blast,” Clement said. “It was fun seeing something new. The hospitality was great too.”

The Nimitz and Viraat strike groups will both continue cross-decking for the duration of the exercise.

Commanded by Capt. Mike Manazir, Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing 11 are now operating as a part of the U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F). Operating in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, C7F is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets covering 52 million square miles, with approximately 50 ships, 120 aircraft and more than 22,000 Sailors and Marines assigned at any given time.

These forces are tangible proof of America’s commitment to peace and stability in Asia, and they directly support U.S. national goals of strengthening alliances, defeating global terrorism, preventing future terrorist attacks, defusing regional conflicts, and preserving the free flow of trade.