'Malabar 2018' focuses on increasing maritime interoperability

A trilateral maritime exercise, Malabar 2018, between the United States, Japan, and Indian maritime services was conducted off the Guam Coast from June 7 to 16.

The exercise was focused on increasing maritime interoperability training objectives among the three maritime forces, emphasising high-end war fighting skills, maritime superiority, and power projection.

The exercise was held in two phases in Guam and the Philippine Sea.

The Guam exercise included a session by subject matter experts and professionals who discussed maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, helicopter operations, ship tours, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.

The at-sea portions conducted in the Philippine Sea were designed to advance participating nations' military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.

Multiple sessions were held at the Philippine Sea including professional exchanges and embark a photo exercise, submarine familiarisation, high-value unit defense, air defense exercises, surface warfare exercises, communications exercises, search and rescue exercises, helicopter cross-deck evolutions, underway replenishments, gunnery exercises, VBSS exercises, and anti-submarine warfare.

Initiated in 1992, Malabar exercise used to be conducted between India and the United States. Later in 2015, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force also joined the exercise.

Malabar Exercise 2018 was the first one to be conducted in the Guam operation region.