SYDNEY –
Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, hosted the Fleet Commanders’ Round Table (FCRT) with fleet leadership from eight allied and partner nations aboard the 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) during a scheduled port visit to Sydney, May 30.
Participating in the FCRT in addition to the United States Navy were the Royal Australian Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Republic of Korea Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Philippine Navy, and the French Navy.
“This year's Fleet Commanders' Round Table provided a superb forum to talk face-to-face with my fellow Fleet commanders on the opportunities and challenges we see throughout this critical maritime theater,” said Vice Adm. Kacher, commander, 7th Fleet. “The setting of our 7th Fleet flagship here in the Sydney harbor was especially fitting, and we welcomed several new commanders this year as we continue to hone our ability to learn from each other and operate together.”
This year’s FCRT focused on strengthening partnerships, advancing interoperability, and identifying opportunities for engagements ashore and at sea among the allied and partner nations.
“Today's conversations underscored that our shared commitment toward supporting one another at sea only continues to strengthen and grow,” said Capt. Jennifer Barnes, 7th Fleet assistant chief of staff for plans and engagements. “We are inspired and energized by the robust discussions that took place onboard USS Blue Ridge, and look forward to working together as allies and partners to increase our combined interoperability and achieve our shared goals for our forces in the Indo-Pacific.”
Participants of the FCRT provided insight into their respective maritime security environments and sought to find shared solutions to challenges in the maritime domain.
7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
For more news from Blue Ridge, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/lcc19/.
For more news from 7th Fleet, visit https://www.c7f.navy.mil/.