By Thai Newsroom Reporters
MAJOR THAI NAVY SHIPS are currently taking part in a tripartite CARAT 2024 maritime exercise in the Gulf of Thailand.
CARAT (Cooperation Afloat Readiness And Training) 2024, now marking the 30th joint naval exercise of its kind, is being held between the United States, Singaporean and Thai navies off Sattahip shores.
The tripartite naval drills feature the Spaniard-built aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet (CVH-911), South Korean-built frigate HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej (FFG-471) and Chinese-built Naresuan-class frigate HTMS Taksin (FFG-422), all of which are engaging in varied maritime war games alongside the US navy’s littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) and Singaporean frigates, according to a navy source.
USS Gabrielle Giffords is currently attached to the Seventh Fleet, the US navy’s largest forward fleet which is primarily assigned missions to defend, maintain and promote free and open sea lines of communication for all seagoing vessels as well as lasting peace and prosperity among like-minded allies and partners throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Given a US-led, concerted effort to meet modern-day, naval challenges in the Indo-Pacific region particularly pertaining to China’s sustained, increasing naval threats in the South China Sea, the tripartite naval exercise is vigorously conducting drills on an anti-submarine warfare, air defence capabilities, mine countermeasures, mock explosive ordnance disposals and mock search and rescue missions, among others.
The CARAT 2024 naval exercise, which begain earlier this month and scheduled to end on Aug. 3, was started in the Gulf of Thailand at a time when Russian and Chinese navy ships were notably conducting a Joint Sea 2024 naval exercise with the use of live ammunition in the internationally-disputed South China Sea.
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This and Front pages: Warships engaging in CARAT maritime exercise in 2021. Photos: Webpage of the Commander of US 7th Fleet
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