USS Blue Ridge conducts back-to-back joint maritime operations with allies in the western Pacific

The U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) conducted a series of bilateral and multilateral maritime exercises with allies across the Western Pacific from April 13 to 17.

Ships from the Royal Australian Navy, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the U.S. Navy operated together in the South China Sea, followed by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and U.S. activities in the Sulu Sea and Philippine Sea in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. On April 13, BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV 9702), HMAS Toowoomba (FFH 156), USS Ashland (LSD 48), and a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon from Patrol Squadron 47 maneuvered with Blue Ridge during a combined transit. During the evolution, the U.S. 7th Fleet commander hosted a delegation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command, including Commodore Charles Merric Villanueva, as well as the commanding officers of Toowoomba and Ashland.

“In the last 30 days, Blue Ridge and Ashland conducted separate Maritime Cooperative Activities with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Blue Ridge executed a flagship port visit to Manila, and Ashland completed a ship wartime repair and maintenance exercise in Cebu, Philippines,” said Vice Adm. Pat Hannifin, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. “Meanwhile, we celebrated the Royal Australian Navy’s 125th birthday during the International Fleet Review and USS Fitzgerald participated in Kakadu 26. These regular high-level exercises and engagements enable us to operate seamlessly at sea.”

From April 15 to 17, Blue Ridge sailed with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Asahi (DD 119) in the Sulu Sea and Philippine Sea. On April 16, Hannifin hosted Asahi’s leadership aboard the flagship after a helicopter transfer at sea.

“Operating at sea with Asahi demonstrates the value and impact of our alliance with our host nation of Japan,” said Hannifin. “Everything we do ashore—every agreement we reach and operating picture we share culminates here on the water, where we can fly, sail, and operate together to protect our nations.”

The operations were aimed at strengthening readiness and interoperability among allies across the Indo-Pacific as the joint and combined exercises Balikatan and Rim of the Pacific approach. The U.S. Navy regularly conducts combined operations with regional partners to demonstrate a shared, long-term commitment to the region.

USS Ashland and Marines from Task Force Ashland are postured as a flexible crisis-response element designed to integrate with allies and partners in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Their forward deployment to 7th Fleet underscores a sustained U.S. commitment to regional security and stability.

U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely works with allies and partners to help preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.