WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN –
U.S. 7th Fleet flagship Blue Ridge-class amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) conducted a series of bilateral and multilateral maritime exercises with allies across the Western Pacific Ocean, April 13-17.
Ships from the Royal Australian Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and U.S. Navy conducted multilateral operations together in the South China Sea, followed immediately by bilateral Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and U.S. operations in the Sulu Sea and Philippine Sea, in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
On April 13, Philippine Coast Guard Teresa Magbanua-class patrol boat BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV 9702), Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba (FFH 156), U.S. Navy Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 47 operated together with Blue Ridge in the South China Sea.
The multinational, multi-domain formation conducted tactical maneuvers during a combined transit through the South China Sea, while the U.S. 7th Fleet commander hosted a delegation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command to include Commodore Charles Merric Villanueva, the acting commander of Western Command, along with the commanding officers of Toowoomba and Ashland.
“In the last 30 days, Blue Ridge and Ashland conducted separate Maritime Cooperative Activities with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Blue Ridge executed a flagship port visit to Manila, and Ashland completed a ship wartime repair and maintenance exercise in Cebu, Philippines,” said Vice Adm. Pat Hannifin, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. “Meanwhile, we celebrated the Royal Australian Navy’s 125th birthday during the International Fleet Review and USS Fitzgerald participated in Kakadu 26. These regular high-level exercises and engagements enable us to operate seamlessly at sea.”
From April 15-17, JMSDF Asahi-class destroyer JS Asahi (DD 119) and Blue Ridge sailed together in the Sulu Sea and Philippine Sea. On April 16, Hannifin hosted leadership from Asahi aboard the U.S. 7th Fleet flagship, arriving via helicopter transfer at sea.
“Operating at sea with Asahi demonstrates the value and impact of our alliance with our host nation of Japan,” said Hannifin. “Everything we do ashore—every agreement we reach and operating picture we share culminates here on the water, where we can fly, sail, and operate together to protect our nations.”
These operations build readiness and cooperation among our network of allies throughout the Indo-Pacific as the keynote joint and combined exercises Balikatan and Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) approach. The U.S. Navy regularly operates alongside our allies in the Indo-Pacific region as a demonstration of our shared long-term commitment to the region.
Ashland and embarked Marines from Task Force Ashland are a flexible crisis response force, purpose-built to integrate with allies and partners in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Their forward deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet demonstrates the unwavering U.S. commitment to regional security and stability.
U.S. 7th Fleet, the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific.