Troops from the Philippines and United States will participate in the 20th Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) joint military exercises on Thursday.
The US Embassy in Manila on Wednesday said a US Navy task group that includes ships, aircraft, Sailors and Marines will take part in the exercise.
Exercise events will occur in “several locations ashore and at sea including Subic Bay, San Antonio in Zambales, Sangley Point in Cavite City, and Ternate.”
The embassy added that civil action projects, community service events and band concerts would facilitate interaction with the local community.
Previous CARAT exercises were held in Mindanao (2012), Palawan (2011), Subic Bay (2010 and 2013), Cebu (2009) and other locations.
“As in years past, the sea phase will take place in international waters west of Subic Bay,” the embassy said.
No relation to current events
The Philippines is in the middle of a dispute with China over territories in the West Philippine Sea.
The US supports the Philippines’ move to bring the matter up for arbitration before a United Nations tribunal.
The embassy said the 2014 CARAT series began in late May, and is taking place in Malaysia now. It continues through end-2014 with Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore and Timor-Leste.
“Joint planning for each phase of CARAT begins a year in advance and exercise phases take place during the same general timeframe each year,” it said.
Also, the embassy said CARAT Philippines is part of a broader bilateral exercise series the US Navy conducts with nine partner navies in South and Southeast Asia.
It said this aims to “address shared maritime security priorities, strengthen maritime partnerships and enhance interoperability among participating navies.”
