By Prashanth Parameswaran
CARAT Brunei kicked off on November 2.
On November 2, the United States and Brunei began an annual military exercise with an opening ceremony at Muara Naval Base in the Southeast Asian state.
The 21st iteration of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei exercise is designed to address shared maritime security priorities, develop relationships, and enhance cooperation between the two navies. It is part of a series of bilateral naval exercises conducted by the U.S. Navy with partners now involving nine countries in South and Southeast Asia – Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste (See: “US Eyes Expanded Military Exercises with ASEAN Navies”). Brunei was one of the original CARAT partners and has been part of the exercise series since it began back in 1995.
According to a statement by the U.S. Navy seen by The Diplomat, CARAT Brunei 2015 will continue through November 11 and will involve over 500 U.S. military members alongside counterparts from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces along with key U.S. assets. It will feature ten days of shore-based and at-sea training events as well as professional symposia to share best practices in various areas including maritime security and military medicine. There will also be hands-on training at sea in combined operations, naval gunnery, search and rescue, and maritime interdiction.
Read the full story at The Diplomat