US Navy Conducts Simultaneous Bilateral Exercises with JMSDF and ROK

PACIFIC OCEAN (April 30, 2009) The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JDS Kurama (DDH 144), left, and the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) take part in Exercise Malabar 2009. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Navy are participating in Exercise Malabar 2009, an annual exercise led by the Indian Navy. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Viramontes/Released)

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- U.S. Navy ships are conducting simultaneous bilateral maritime exercises with the Republic of Korea Navy and with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force today and tomorrow (April 25-26, local time).

The destroyers USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and ROKN Wang Geon (DDH 978) are conducting combined maritime exercises in waters west of the Korean Peninsula while the destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and JMSDF JS Chokai (DDG 176) execute combined maritime exercises in waters west of Japan.

Both exercises demonstrate a shared commitment to security and stability in Northeast Asia as well as the U.S. Navy's inherent flexibility to combine with allied naval forces in response to a broad range of situations.

United States, Republic of Korea and Japanese Naval Exercises Announced

The United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan will conduct a two-day, trilateral naval exercise June 21 - 22 in the waters south of the Korean peninsula.

The exercise will focus on improving interoperability and communications with the ROK Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, which can facilitate cooperative disaster relief and maritime security activities in the future. The three navies will conduct this exercise beyond the territorial waters of any coastal nation.

The United States will then conduct a routine carrier operation with the ROK Navy in the Yellow Sea immediately after the trilateral exercise June 23 - 25.

The George Washington Carrier Strike Group will make a port call in Busan, South Korea, after completing the two exercises.

Amphibious Force 7th Fleet Staff Embarks ROK Command Ship

U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and Republic of Korea Ship Dokdo (LPH 6111) moored at Busan. Blue Ridge is in Korea for exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2009. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Greg Mitchell/Released)

By Lt. Cmdr. Denver Applehans, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet Public Affairs

OKINAWA, Japan (NNS) -- Several members of the Amphibious Force 7th Fleet staff, including the Amphibious Force Commander embarked Republic of Korea Ship Dokdo (LPH 6111) as part of exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) last week.

During the week of the pierside embark, American personnel experienced day-to-day life working aboard a Republic of Korea naval vessel.

Amphibious staffs from both nations worked together to develop plans and execute operations in a computer simulation driven exercise aimed at supporting a turnover of operational control (OPCON) of the defense of ROK in 2012.

"Moving toward Korean OPCON in 2012, an embark such as this enables us to work and train side-by-side with our Korean counterparts in their command and control environment," said Rear Adm. Richard Landolt, Amphibious Task Force Commander. "The ROK military is outstanding at all levels, and it was a pleasure to see them in action on Dokdo."

The vessel, commissioned into the ROK Navy in April 2007, has a state of the art operations center that proved extremely capable for coordination, communication and command and control.

"Living and working aboard Dokdo gave us a unique opportunity to train and learn from our Korean counterparts as they prepare to assume operational control of the defense of the ROK in 2012," said Lt. Col. Evan Holt, embarked U.S. personnel and Amphibious Force 7th Fleet plans officer.

UFG 09 is part of a series of annual U.S.-Korean bilateral defensive exercises designed to evaluate and improve combined and joint coordination, procedures, plans and systems for conducting contingency operations between ROK and U.S. forces.