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Maritime forces from Brunei and the United States opened this year’s Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei on Sept. 14 in Bandar Seri Begawan, launching an exercise focused on regional security cooperation, strengthened partnerships, and interoperability.
This iteration brings together the U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145), the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30), and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Commander, Task Force (CTF) 72. Staff and personnel from U.S. 7th Fleet, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, CTF 73, CTF 75, CTF 77, and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific are also participating.
U.S. units are operating alongside the Royal Brunei Navy’s Darussalam-class offshore patrol vessel PV-80 and a Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk helicopter. Dive and legal teams from both countries are conducting subject matter expert exchanges ashore.
“There is nothing more valuable than the strong partnerships and alliances we have built here in Brunei and across Southeast Asia,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Mike Ross, commodore, Expeditionary Cutter Squadron. “Maritime stability depends on our ability to learn, train, and operate together, which makes us more capable than what we can achieve individually.”
The shore phase features relationship-building events such as a bilateral sports day, community service projects, and cultural exchanges. Classroom and practical exchanges are addressing key skills including maritime domain awareness and tactical combat casualty care.
“Exercise CARAT has been conducted in Brunei Darussalam since 1995,” said Col. Muhammad Suwardi Ariffin Bin Pehin Datu Laksamana Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Latiff, Chief Of Staff, Joint Force Commander, Royal Brunei Armed Forces. “Thirty-two iterations later, CARAT stands as a testament to the enduring friendship, mutual trust and defense cooperation between Brunei Darussalam and the United States.”
At sea in the South China Sea, the exercise is set to emphasize combat readiness through complex evolutions, with planned serials in anti-submarine warfare, maritime domain awareness, and command-and-control coordination. Units will also practice visit, board, search and seizure procedures to sharpen maritime interdiction operations.
CARAT is a long-running series aimed at improving the ability of U.S. and partner maritime forces to operate together against shared regional challenges. The Coast Guard’s Expeditionary Cutter Squadron deploys fast response cutters with organic command, logistics, and support for sustained forward operations from partner locations. DESRON 7 serves as the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer squadron in Southeast Asia and primary tactical and operational commander for ships in the U.S. 7th Fleet area. U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, regularly operates with allies and partners to help preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.
