The US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) commenced a multinational group sail alongside warships from Australia, Brunei, and Singapore on 1 August 2020. The USS Rafael Peralta joined HMA Ships Stuart (FFH 153) and Sirius (O 266) of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), KDB Darulehsan (OPV 07) of the Royal Brunei Navy, and RSS Supreme (FFG 73) of the Republic of Singapore Navy. The participating ships practiced and refined tactical skills such as conducting underway replenishment, formation steaming, and communications. Specifically, ships conducted a replenishment at sea; a multi-ship manoeuvring and communications drills; and helicopters from multiple ships practiced “cross-deck” landings.
“Multi-lateral training opportunities such as this [cross-Pacific transit]…improve regional security by overcoming challenges together,” said Cmdr. Chad Trubilla, commanding officer, USS Rafael Peralta. “But most importantly, the officers and crews onboard all five ships will build confidence and lasting relationships as we take the field as teammates. You can surge a ship to sea, but you cannot surge trust.”
Multi-lateral exercises provide unique opportunities for navies to train together, and develop relations between maritime states. Australia, Brunei, Singapore, and the United States each bring unique capabilities to address the complex challenges facing the Pacific region today. This transit directly contributes to enhanced security and stability throughout the region.
The United States remains committed to working with regional partners and allies and to protecting the rights, freedoms, and lawful use of the seas by all states. Our exercises and operations stand for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, which the United States has supported, alongside its partners and allies for more than 70 years. Rafael Peralta is underway conducting operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific while assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the US 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.
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