KARACHI: Pakistan and the United States held joint naval drills in the northern Indian Ocean, reflecting the relationship and cooperation between the two forces, Director General Public Relations (Navy) said on Thursday.
The exercise, participated in by USS Whirlwind (PC-11) and USS Squall, include various tactical exercises such as rescuing a burning vessel, releasing a hijacked vessel, and shooting at air targets at night.
A navy press statement said its ships, assets and Special Service Group (SSG) troops took part in the drill.
According to the US Navy, its crew members are expected to hold visit, board, search and seizure training with the Pakistan Navy.
“We are extremely excited to visit Pakistan as we build our relationship and sharpen our competitive edge in a very dynamic region,” said Lieutenant Commander Martin Dineen, commanding officer of Whirlwind.
USS Whirlwind and USS Squall are transiting the Middle East region in support of naval operations that ensure maritime security and stability.
On January 18, Pakistan Navy Commodore Vaqar Muhammad assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, one of three task forces under Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) that operates outside the Arabian Gulf to disrupt illicit activities by criminal organisations, including the illegal transport of drugs, weapons and people.
“As we strengthen this partnership with Pakistan, we are able to build trust through valuable cross training and deliver a robust interdiction capability to the Pakistani commander of CTF 150,” said Lieutenant Commander Todd Strong, commanding officer of Squall.
The area of operations of the US Fifth Fleet encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles of water and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
The expanse is comprised of 21 nations and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.
