Sailors and units with the U.S. Navy’s Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (RRCSG) along with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) began their Annual Exercise (AE) 16, November 16.
AE16 is a bilateral field-training exercise to increase interoperability between the United States Navy (USN) and JMSDF.
The exercise is designed to allow the U.S. Navy and JMSDF to practice and evaluate the coordination and tactics required to mutually respond to the defense of Japan or to a regional contingency.
USN and JMSDF units will conduct maritime training in the air, surface and subsurface warfare areas.
Participating U.S. Navy units include: Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Antietam (CG 54) and USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) the guided-missile destroyers USS Benfold (DDG 65) and USS Mustin (DDG 89), maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft and a U.S. submarine.
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Image: US Navy