The exercise, normally held in the Gulf of Thailand, began on Monday (May 23), with personnel from both navies conducting anti-submarine drills and exercises in domain awareness.
Exercise Guardian Sea includes personnel from the U.S. 7th Fleet’s Task Force 73 and Destroyer Squadron 7 and features the guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem, a P-8A Poseidon aircraft and a Los Angeles-class submarine operating alongside Thai ships and aircraft, a US Navy statement said.
Thailand’s sole aircraft carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet, as well as the Chinese-made Naresuan-class frigates HTMS Naresuan and HTMS Taksin are also taking part.
Capt. H.B. Le, commodore of US Destroyer Squadron 7, called this year’s exercise “the most complex to date.”
“Guardian Sea provides our navies the opportunity and challenge of detecting and tracking submarines, and to practice procedures related to anti-submarine warfare,” Capt Le said in a statement.
“Guardian Sea provides our navies the opportunity and challenge of detecting and tracking submarines, and to practice procedures related to anti-submarine warfare.
“This year’s exercise will be the most complex to date and we look forward to working alongside the Royal Thai Navy ashore and at sea to improve our skills and enhance our interoperability,” he added.
Cmdr Doug Pegher, the Stethem’s commanding officer, said ““Guardian Sea is an excellent opportunity to operate at sea in a realistic training environment with our friends and partners in the Royal Thai Navy.
“Our sailors gain valuable experiences from these engagements, and we build important maritime relationships that endure beyond the exercise.”