Exercise Malabar '05 gets underway off coast of India

http://www.c7f.navy.mil/news/2005/september/20.htm ^ | 09/26/2005 | Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet public affairs

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GOA, India -- More than 6,500 U.S. Navy personnel will take part in Exercise Malabar, a bilateral U.S. Navy-Indian Navy training exercise Sept. 26 to Oct. 5 off the southwest coast of India and conduct port visits in conjunction with the at-sea maneuvers.

Exercise Malabar 05 is a key element of the Pacific Fleet’s late term 2005 anti-submarine warfare training cycle, and is designed to increase interoperability between the two navies while enhancing the cooperative security relationship between India and the United States. The at-sea training will include maritime interdiction, surface events, sub-surface and air events, as well as personnel exchanges and a shared operational picture.

The U.S. Navy will be represented by USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Higgins (DDG 76) and USS Chafee (DDG 90), the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763), carrier-based aircraft, and P-3C maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.

During the exercise, the two navies will work together in a variety of functional skill areas, including force protection drills, formation steaming, coordinated gun fire support and anti-submarine warfare training.

This is the seventh iteration of the Malabar exercise series, which was last held in October 2004, also off the coast of India and in port.

As part of the exercise the ships will make port visits to Goa, India, before and after the at-sea phase. The port visits are designed to allow for pre- and post-exercise coordination between the participants. Crewmembers will also have the opportunity to enjoy cultural exchanges, athletic and social activities with the exercise participants and local citizens.

Nimitz, commanded by Capt. Ted Branch, is a 97,000-ton aircraft carrier, the first in its class. The ship is homeported in San Diego, Calif. U.S. aircraft carrier missions include providing credible, sustainable, independent forward presence and conventional deterrence in peacetime.

Higgins and Chafee are multi-mission platforms capable of supporting anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare. Higgins, commanded by Cmdr. Jesse A. Wilson, Jr., and also homeported in San Diego, is an 8,400-ton warship and can support carrier strike groups, amphibious forces or operate independently.

Chafee is commanded by Cmdr. John M. Clausen. The 9,200-ton warship supports carrier and expeditionary strike groups by providing a platform for anti-submarine and anti-air warfare. USS Chaffee is homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Santa Fe, commanded by Cmdr. J. Steven Perry, Jr., is a 6,900-ton Los Angeles-class attack submarine also homeported in Pearl Harbor. Attack submarine mission areas include anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, special warfare and strike warfare.

For more information, visit the U.S. Seventh Fleet Web site at www.c7f.navy.mil.

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ARABIAN SEA (Sept. 25, 2005) -- USS Nimitz (CVN 68), at top, sails with the Indian navy ships INS Viraat (R 22) and INS Mysore (D 60) during manuervers at the start of Exercise Malabar 05. More than 6,500 U.S. Navy personnel will take part in Malabar, a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Indian navies, off the southwest coast of India. Exercise Malabar 05 is a key element of the Pacific Fleet’s late term 2005 anti-submarine warfare training cycle, and is designed to increase interoperability between the two navies while enhancing the cooperative security relationship between India and the United States. The at-sea training will include maritime interdiction, surface events, sub-surface and air events, as well as personnel exchanges and a shared operational picture.

(Photo courtesy of Indian Navy)