US 7th Fleet set to expand multilateral exercises between Southeast Asian navies

摘要

Multinational military engagement activities and co-operation between Asia-Pacific countries look set for significant growth within the next two years, a senior US Navy (USN) official told IHS Jane's aboard USS Blue Ridge on 4 May. Blue Ridge, which is the flagship of the USN's 7th Fleet, docked at Singapore's Changi Naval Base on 30 April, bringing ashore fleet commander Vice Admiral Robert Thomas and his command staff, as well as the embarked Helicopter Squadron 12 and marines from Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Pacific. Captain Ronald Oswald, Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Officer at 7th Fleet, observed that there have been tangible efforts by stakeholders in Southeast Asia as well as the wider Asia-Pacific region to expand on the scale and scope of multilateral exercises.