RP, US navies start war games

SUBIC BAY — About 200 US marines will make an amphibious landing at San Miguel beach in Zambales today as part of the combined bilateral exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Exercise 2005 of the Philippine and US navies.

Approximately 1,200 US troops will take part in CARAT 2005, which formally opened yesterday at Subic Bay Arts Center (SUBAC) in this former US naval base.

Philippine Navy Commodore Octavio Pabuayon, CARAT exercise director, will deploy around 1,000 Filipino navy personnel and five vessels for the exercise.

On the other hand, the US CARAT Task Group under Navy Capt. Buzz Little, Destroyer Squadron One commander, will include dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), the guided missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), the guided missile frigate USS Rodney Davis (FFG 60), and the rescue and salvage ship USS Safeguard (ARS-50).

Rear Adm. Alfredo Abueg Jr., Philippine Fleet commander, attended the opening ceremonies. The Philippine and US navies will take part in the series of bilateral exercises in various training sites in Manila, Zambales, Sulu Sea and Puerto Princesa City in Palawan from Aug. 15 to 23.

"This series of CARAT bilateral exercises conducted by the US not only in the Philippines, but in other participating ASEAN countries, fully support regional stability in Southeast Asia," he said.

Abueg said Palawan was selected as the exercise site because of its strategic value.

"If there will be any conflict the most likely place will be in Palawan because that is where our rich marine resources and strategic location in the China Sea (are)," he said.

As for holding future exercises in Basilan, Abueg said the Philippine Navy does not want the Americans to get involved in the internal security operations of the country.

"The problem we are having in the south is purely internal security operations and the one we are having with the Americans is specifically this kind of exercise for external defense," he said.

Rear Adm. Kevin Quinn, Logistics Group Western Pacific commander operating from Singapore, said CARAT will also focus on enhancing maritime security capabilities.

"You see that there is a significant amount of threat to regional maritime security throughout Southeast Asia and... the one probably most visible is the threat of piracy in this region," he said. 

"Every year, the number of piracy and sea robbery (incidents) increases, and many of them tend to be focused in Southeast Asian regions. Having the ability to work together and counter the threat is very important for the Philippine Navy."

The naval exercise aims to enhance regional cooperation between the US and the Philippines.

CARAT 2005, held in consonance with the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty, is designed to enhance interoperability between the two forces in combined naval operations, including skills directly applicable to the combat of seaborne terrorism threats and transnational crimes at sea.

The Philippine and US navies will also conduct humanitarian services by giving exercise participants the opportunity to work together in planning sessions, in the field, in Palawan via the Sulu Sea, and in civic action projects in Olongapo City and Zambales province.

Other important exercise events will focus on at-sea maneuvering and communications, command and control, and diving and salvage.

A variety of seminars in areas ranging from damage control to logistics are also scheduled, as are social events that give exercise participants a chance to develop personal relationships critical to combined operations.