US, Japan hold first joint anti-submarine exercise in East Sea

Specifically, the helicopter carrier JS Kaga (DDH-184), destroyer JS Murasame (DD101) with SH-60J helicopters, an Oyashio-class submarine and a P-1 maritime patrol aircraft conducted the exercise.anti-submarinein the East Sea with the destroyer USS Milius (DDG-69) and the US Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft.

This is the first time a JMSDF submarine has conducted anti-submarine exercises with the US Navy in the South China Sea. Both the Kaga and Murasame conducted exercises in the South China Sea with the US Milius last week and then visited Subic Bay, Philippines over the weekend. After leaving Subic Bay, the ships conducted exercises inEast Seawith the frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) of the Philippine Navy.

USS Milius destroyer and a JMSDF submarine on November 16. Photo: JMSDF

According to two press releases from the JMSDF, the force will conduct a minesweeping exercise with the US Navy from November 18-28 in the Hyuga Nada area off the coast of Kyushu Island (Japan). This joint exercise will involve 17 JMSDF minesweepers, one supply ship and two large transport/minesweeping helicopters MCH101, while the US Navy will deploy two minesweepers and two MH-53E helicopters.

Then, from November 21-30 in the waters surrounding Japan, a bilateral naval exercise between the JMSDF and the US Navy will take place, along with two multilateral exercises. The first multilateral exercise will include the JMSDF, the US Navy, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and the German Navy, while the second will include the JMSDF, the US Navy, and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

A total of 20 ships and 40 aircraft from the JMSDF, 10 US Navy ships, 2 RAN ships, 1 RCN ship and 1 German Navy ship will participate in the exercise. Currently, the RAN frigate HMAS Warramunga (FFH152) and the German Navy frigate FGS Bayern (F217) are on patrol and surveillance missions in the East China Sea in support of US sanctions against North Korea, while the Canadian ship HMCS Winnipeg (FFh338) is deployed to the region and is currently visiting the White Beach naval base on the Okinawa Islands. The RAN destroyer HMAS Brisbane (D41) is currently near Japan.

Meanwhile, on November 15, the US Navy and Brunei began a five-day annual exercise called Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), conducted both online and on the ground in the East Sea.

According to the announcement from the US Navy, the US forces participating in CARAT 2021 include the littoral combat ship USS Jackson (LCS-6), along with MH-60S helicopters from Helicopter Sea Squadron (HSC) 23 and 1 P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft. According to the press release of the US 7th Fleet, the CARAT 2021 exercise focuses on the entire naval capabilities, as well as the contents to promote cooperation between the US and Brunei, towards the common goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific maritime security environment. Brunei and the US will conduct the maritime part of the exercise in the East Sea.

Previously, from November 1-11, the US Navy conducted CARAT exercises with Indonesia online and on the ground in Surabaya and the Java Sea.