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Humanitarian Assistance, Disaster Relief Training Key in CARAT Brunei

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090805-22
Release Date: 8/5/2009 4:47:00 PM

By Lt. Ed Early, Commander, Task Group 73.5 Public Affairs

MUARA, Brunei (NNS) -- The armed forces of Brunei and the U.S. will train together in several naval engagements, including a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) scenario, during the 15th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise, which began Aug. 4 at Muara Naval Base.

Rear Adm. Nora Tyson, commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, emphasized the coordination between U.S. and Brunei forces during her address at the CARAT Brunei opening ceremony on the guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37).

"CARAT will most certainly be a mutually beneficial exercise for our collective professional development in skill areas that are relevant to today's security environment," Tyson said. "Whether we end up working in humanitarian assistance or maritime interdiction operations, this time is when we forge the bonds that will further increase our ability to complete our missions more effectively, both individually and together."

Since 1995, the CARAT bilateral exercise series has provided the U.S. and six Southeast Asian nations – Brunei, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia – the opportunity to exchange knowledge and expand and sharpen maritime security through shared training, equipment and manpower.

A major component of CARAT Brunei will be a combined HADR exercise led by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The two countries will respond to a simulated natural disaster and carry out search and rescue operations utilizing U.S. and RBAF helicopters and a U.S. Navy P-3C Orion patrol aircraft. Royal Brunei land forces and U.S. Marines will conduct a combined amphibious landing, simulating the arrival of response teams.

During the two-day at-sea phase, Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) ships will join their U.S. Navy counterparts for exercises in skill areas involving at-sea maneuvers, maritime security, casualty evacuation, diving and salvage, and logistics management.

In addition, a U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) will join the RBN for maritime security training, including simulated boardings at sea and pierside.

Ships and aircraft from both Brunei and the U.S. comprise the combined CARAT task group, under the leadership of RBN Lt. Col. Spry bin Haji Seruji and Capt. William Kearns III, commander, Task Group 73.5.

Task Group 73.5 consists of Crommelin, amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), the guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) and rescue-salvage ship USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50). Other units participating in CARAT Brunei include SH-60 Seahawk helicopters and a U.S. Navy mobile security squadron.

Harpers Ferry operates from Sasebo, Japan as part of U.S. 7th Fleet's Forward Deployed Naval Forces. Chafee and Crommelin are assigned to Commander, Destroyer Squadron 31, based in Pearl Harbor.

Approximately 1,600 U.S. personnel will take part in CARAT 2009.