TINIYAK kahapon ng United States Navy na gagawa sila ng paraan para magtuloy tuloy ang kanilang paglalayag kasabay ang kaalyadong bansa gaya ng Pilipinas upang isulong ang kahalagahan ng professional maritime operation kasabay ng pagtiyak sa seguridad at freedom of navigation sa Indo pacific Region.
“U.S. 7th Fleet will continue to find opportunities to sail alongside our allies and partners and reinforce the importance of professional maritime operations at sea anywhere international law allows. Our U.S.-Philippines alliance remains vital to Indo-Pacific security and stability in the region,” ayon kay Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet.
Ang U.S. 7th Fleet ay ang pinakamalaking U.S. Navy forward-deployed fleet ng mga warship at aircraft carriers, at regular na nakikipag koordinasyon at nag-ooperate kasama ang mga kaalyado at katuwang na mga bansa para mapanatili ang free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Kinumpirma ng U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs na nagkaroon ng bilateral sail ang kanilang U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile-destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) at Philippine Navy guided-missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) sa South China Sea nitong Setyembre 4 para linangin ang kakayahan at interoperability sa pagitan ng dalawang hukbong dagat.
Sa ibinahaging pahayag kahapon ng U.S Embassy in Manila mula sa U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs nagsagawa at nakumpleto nila habang naglalayag ang dalawang barkong pandigma ang division tactics (DIVTACS), isang pagsasanay sa dagat na dinisenyo para sa mga ship handlers na magsanay sa maneuvering sa loob ng close proximity o malapit sa ibang sea vessel para mapalakas ang kumpiyansa ng mga marinong nasa bridge teams para masanay sa mga mas challenging sailing conditions.
“This was a great opportunity to continue improving our ability to operate alongside our allies from the Philippines,” ani USS Ralph Johnson Officer Of The Deck (OOD) Lt.j.g. Vince Smetona, mula San Clemente, California. “The relationship between our navies has been incredibly strong for a long time, and evolutions like this allow us to keep strengthening those bonds at a ship-level.”
Kinumpirma rin ni Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Information Office chief Col Enrico Gil Ileto ang ginagawang bilateral sail ng Philippine Navy guided-missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) at US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile-destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), sa West Philippine Sea.
Sangkot sa division tactics exercise ang AFP Western Command’s Naval Task Force 41 at US 7th fleet, “In particular, this event aims to provide an opportunity for the Philippine Navy and the US Indo-Pacific Navy to test and refine existing maritime doctrine and demonstrate their defense capabilities in line with the shared commitment of upholding peace and security in the Indo-Pacific Region,” ani Col Ileto . VERLIN RUIZ