Singapore CARAT Phase Gets Underway

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2008 entered a new phase with an opening ceremony at Republic of Singapore Fleet Headquarters, June 23.

Elements of the U.S. and Singapore Navies, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen ushered in the latest leg of CARAT exercises, which move to Singapore after conducting bilateral exchanges in the Republic of the Philippines and Thailand.

Rear Adm. Nora Tyson, commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, explained the exercise builds upon a strong and lasting friendship between the two countries.

"Relationships like the one between the United States Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy do not develop overnight," Tyson said. "It takes a persistent level of engagement over an extended period, from the highest levels of leadership all the way down to the deck plates to get where we are today."

Rear Adm. Ng Chee Peng, fleet commander of the Republic of Singapore Navy, said the relationship remains strong because the United States and Singapore share common interests and strategic perspectives.

"Our two countries and two navies have very strong and close ties," Peng said. "At the end of the day, it is the friendships that we build at all levels that will ensure that the close and strong ties between our two navies remain on a strong footing."

This phase will feature Singapore and U.S. forces working together in several tactical situations including maritime interdictions, visit, board, search and seizure exercises, air defense, surface gunnery, force protection and diving/salvage operations.

Additional operations include a surface-to-air missile firing by RSS Endeavor (210) on a U.S. Navy drone, a structured free-play at sea with U.S. Marine and Singapore Air Force aerial assets, and medical emergency scenarios aboard USS Tortuga (LSD 46) during Land-Sea-Air Group activities. The two countries' coast guards will engage in maritime security ashore and at-sea exercises, which will culminate in a two-day boarding exercise at sea on MV Avatar and USCG cutter Morgenthau (WHEC 722).

USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50) will also participate in the exercises and will provide surface-supplied breathing equipment to support depth diving—enabling challenging salvaging scenarios.

Tyson said the CARAT participants have raised their expectations of themselves this year. As a result, she said, they have realized greater results.

"During CARAT Singapore, we will raise the bar even higher and set a new standard for CARAT," Tyson said. "I know our forces are ready."

CARAT is an annual series of bilateral military exercises between the United States and Southeast Asian nations.

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