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Foreword

Northeast Asia Engagement ::

People's Republic of China and U.S. Forces Enhancing Maritime Safety Throughout the Asia-Pacific Region

Proliferation Security Initiative Activities Attract International Interest

Cooperative Understanding ::

Cambodia-U.S. Navies Conduct Historic Exchange

Regional Response Forces ::

Indian, Canadian and U.S. Forces Partner for a Safer Asia-Pacific Region

RIMPAC 2006:
Fostering Regional Peace and Security

Philippine-U.S. Forces Building Interoperability and Goodwill

Happenings ::

Happenings

International Forces Train to Deter Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
By U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs Office
Photos by PO2 Justin K. Thomas, USN

Naval and law enforcement personnel from more than 20 countries participated or sent observers to LEADING EDGE, a two-phase Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise. The exercise focused on increasing regional capability and support for the PSI through a robust regional participant and observer program. Participants explored issues associated with interdicting multiple WMD-related maritime shipping, international and inter-regional command and control issues associated with WMD interdiction, integration of law enforcement and military actions and assets in interdicting shipments of WMD proliferation concern, and the technical capabilities of PSI states.

PSI is a response to the growing challenge posed by the proliferation of WMD, their delivery systems, and related materials worldwide. It constitutes partnerships of states working in concert, employing their national capabilities to develop a broad range of legal, diplomatic, economic, and military tools to interdict shipments of such items on the ground, in the air, and at sea.

The first phase of the October 2006 PSI was a distributed command post exercise that took place in the capitals of 16 nations and was coordinated by the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. Participants included high-ranking government officials from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.

Naval forces and law enforcement personnel from Australia, Bahrain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States participated in the second phase in international waters off the northeastern coast of Bahrain. Japan, the Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Qatar, Spain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sent observers to the at-sea phase.

During the at-sea phase, boarding teams from Australia, Bahrain, France, Italy, and the U.S. Coast Guard practiced compliant boardings aboard a target vessel played by the United Kingdom’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary naval ship RFA Brambleleaf (A 81). Brambleleaf simulated a commercial merchant vessel suspected of carrying WMD-related items. Other ships involved in the at-sea phase included Bahraini ships RBNS Sabha (FFG 90), RBNS Al Manama (FPBGH 50) and RBNS Al Muharraq (FPBGH 51); Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga (FFH 152); French Navy frigate FS Commandant Ducuing (F 795); Italian guided-missile frigate ITS Comandante Foscari (P 493); and U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Boat Monomoy (WPB 1326).

“We are working absolutely together as a team,” said Italian Navy Lt. Gennaro Vitagliano, executive officer of the ITS Comandante Foscari, as he discussed the joint efforts of the participating countries. “What we’re doing today is no different than what we do every day. We’ll follow the same procedures we normally do when conducting boarding operations at sea.”

Commenting on the importance of the exercise, New Zealand Defence Minister Phil Goff said, “The PSI is an important initiative that aims to foster cooperation among participating states to counter the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction, in a manner consistent with relevant domestic and international law. New Zealand’s participation is consistent with our broad non-proliferation objectives, and our on-going support for the PSI. We welcome the opportunities that PSI exercises, such as this, provide us to discuss, test and update our non-proliferation systems with key partners.” Defense Minister Goff further noted, “U.S. sponsorship of LEADING EDGE demonstrates the importance that it, like New Zealand and other PSI participants, attaches to this international non-proliferation initiative ...”

Following the exercise, U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain William Monroe, speaking at a press conference, said, “We’re deeply appreciative that so many of our partners took part in this exercise either as full participants or as observers, and particularly note the presence of Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE from the Gulf region. Their attendance today underscores the important point that the PSI training exercise program is a truly global effort involving countries around the world, including the Gulf region.”

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