US, Sri Lanka, Japan militaries conclude weeklong CARAT exercise
The first CARAT in 2021 started with two days of subject matter expert exchanges followed by five days at sea of military exercises, officials said in a press release.
The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime and the European Union Maritime Route Wider Indian Ocean also took part.
The sea exercises took place in waters near Sri Lanka and focused on strengthening relationships.
The three armies trained in divisional tactics, complex maneuvers, tracking and pursuing targets, helicopter deck landings and search and rescue exercises.
"Each event created an opportunity to sharpen our skills, learn from one another, and give us a better understanding of the maritime environment," U.S. Capt. Tom Ogden, captain of the Destroyer Squadron 7, said in the press release.
"Sri Lanka, Japan and the U.S. seamlessly worked together with professionalism and adaptability to solve challenging problems during the scenario-based training at sea," Ogden said.
