‘Carat’ joint RP-US naval exercises start

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A naval exercise between the Philippine and US navies formally began at Naval Forces Western Mindanao headquarters yesterday.

The 13th RP-US Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) will be held in Zamboanga and Basilan to test the concept of combining the fleet and the Marines into one potent force.

“Before, the Marines were not under the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, but now they are operating with the fleet,” said Ensign Annaleah Palad.

Until June 9, some 2,000 Filipino and US troops would take part in the exercises that will also involve civil-military operations like medical missions in communities in Zamboanga and Basilan, and engineering projects like the construction of school buildings.

US Navy seals and the Philippine Navy’s Special Operations Group will hold drills on search and seizure operations at sea during the exercise.

The Philippine Navy will deploy three patrol ships, three maritime patrol aircraft, a helicopter, and components of the 1st Marine Brigade for the naval exercise.

The US Navy will commit three ships: the USS Harper’s Ferry, USS Ford and USS Jarrett.

The opening ceremonies were presided over by Rear Adm. Petrolino Magno, commander of the Philippine Fleet, and US Navy Rear Adm. William Burke.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, Philippine Navy chief Vice Adm. Rogelio Calunsag and Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo also took part in the ceremonies.

Magno said the exercise will be a welcome opportunity to exchange pertinent information on a broad range of fields – from at sea tactical operations to amphibious training.

Transnational and trans-border crimes, piracy, and maritime terrorism are becoming a grave concern of the global community, he added.

Burke, who joins the CARAT a second time, said they are moving the exercise to a higher level by conducting it outside traditional grounds in Luzon.

“By doing that (training) we wind up with more people (who) will understand the threat and more people (who know) how to deal with that threat,” he said.

“Given the issue, we try to make the exercise more challenging, so instead of doing it on the same area we are taking it up to another level in certain areas,” he added.

Commodore Feliciano Angue, PN Ready force commander and co-director of CARAT, said they have chosen western Mindanao to allow US Navy officials to observe the difference and the type of operation the Philippine Navy is conducting in vast coast lines.

“This is also to depart from that box type of training,” he said.

Angue said the naval exercise will not affect the military and naval campaign against the terrorist Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah in Sulu.

“We are here purely for training and it has nothing to do with the current operation,” he said.

However, it cannot be avoided that it will bring some psychological impact, especially on the movement of terrorists, Angue said.

Kenney helped inaugurate the completed footbridge funded by the US government at Barangay Tumaga village, and turned over books at the nearby State Polytechnic College.

The annual bilateral naval exercise CARAT aims to enhance interoperability and exchange knowledge and skills needed for combating the threat of terrorism and transnational crimes at sea.