Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training
The Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Exercise CARAT) is a series of annual bilateral military exercises conducted by the United States Pacific Fleet with several member nations of ASEAN in Southeast Asia. Currently, the navies of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand participate. Objectives of CARAT include enhancing regional cooperation; building friendships, and strengthening professional skills. In 2010, Cambodia and Bangladesh became the first CARAT participants to join the exercise since 1995. CARAT 2011. The objective of CARAT 2011 was to enhance regional naval cooperation by strengthening the professional  skills of its participants. Task Force 73 served as the U.S. Navy executive agent for the CARAT 2011 exercises. CARAT Bangladesh. The U.S. Navy's guided-missile destroyer , the guided-missile frigate , the mine counter-measures ship , and the salvage ship participated in the first-ever CARAT Bangladesh bilateral exercises which began on 18 September 2011 at the Bangladesh naval base at Issa Khan. Task Force 73 commander (CTF-73) Rear Admiral Tom Carney noted: CARAT Bangladesh combined training events ashore and at sea, with shore events focused on dive training, riverine warfare, ship boarding training, and medical and community service  projects. At-sea training operations included helicopter operations, shipboard communications and maneuvering drills, surface gunnery exercises. and tactical freeplay events. CARAT Cambodia. The U.S. destroyer "Kidd" and salvage ship "Safeguard" subsequently participated in the 2nd annual CARAT Cambodia bilateral exercise which began on 20 October 2011 with opening ceremonies in Sihanoukville. TF-73 commander Admiral Carney ("pictured") added: The week-long CARAT Cambodia exercises included training exchanges and community activities ashore and such at-sea operations as communication drills, division tactics, and surface gunfire drills. CARAT Brunei. The guided-missile destroyers and joined the U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron VP-40  for the 17th annual CARAT Brunei exercises which began on 30 September 2011 in opening ceremonies held at the Muara Naval Base. CTF-73 Admiral Carney observed: The eight-day exercise included training exchanges ashore on maritime domain awareness, search-and-rescue, fire fighting and damage control, vessel boarding procedures, and various maritime symposia. U.S. Marines joined Bruneian Land Forces for urban operations and first aid training. At-sea operations included joint helicopter operations, search and rescue practical scenarios, division tactics, and surface gunfire drills. CARAT 2012. CARAT 2012 was the latest in an ongoing series of annual bilateral military exercises  conducted by U.S. Pacific Fleet with several member nations of ASEAN in Southeast Asia. The navies of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand participated in CARAT 2011. The objective of CARAT 2011 was to enhance regional naval cooperation by strengthening the professional skills of its participants. Task Force 73 served as the U.S. Navy executive agent for the CARAT 2012 exercises. CARAT Indonesia. In CARAT 2012, at least three vessels arrived in the Port of Tanjung Perak, Surabaya, Indonesia. The ships which arrived at Surabaya were , , USCGC "Waesche", and USNS "Safeguard". Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training