Exercise COOPERATION AFLOAT READINESS AND TRAINING (CARAT) 2004 brought the naval forces of Brunei, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the U.S. together for a series of bilateral exercises. Here, Rear Adm. Kevin Quinn, the U.S. Navy’s executive agent for CARAT, arrives aboard the Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Mahawangsa. Capt. Robert Tate, the U.S. Defense and Naval Attaché in Malaysia, accompanies Rear Adm. Quinn. Photo by Joc Melinda Larson, USNR

Five Southeast Asian countries – Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand – joined forces with U.S. sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and several soldiers in the U.S. Navy’s premier series of bilateral exercises known as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT). CARAT began in Singapore in May 2004 and ended in the Philippines in August 2004. It enhanced cooperation and interoperability in the fight against terrorism while building professional and personal relationships between each country’s participating forces and the U.S. sea services.

This 10th edition of the CARAT exercise series included at-sea maneuvering; command, control, and communications; naval gunnery; diving and salvage; visit, board, search and seizure drills; airborne maritime patrol; force protection/anti-terrorism; and medical and community civic action projects. While the focus and elements participating in each exercise phase varied based on bilateral goals of each country, the general focus was on interoperability of sea services in areas such as operational planning, command and control, tactics, logistics support, and community service projects. With the U.S. Coast Guard high endurance cutter Mellon (WHEC 717) a participant, maritime law was also a focal point of the exercise. Further, a variety of seminars took place in subjects ranging from damage control to logistics.

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Kevin M. Quinn, Commander, Task Force 712, was the U.S. Navy’s executive agent for overall CARAT coordination. U.S. Navy Capt. Lothrop S. “Buzz” Little, Commander of Destroyer Squadron One, embarked on the dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), led the U.S. CARAT task group. Other U.S. Navy ships included the guided missile destroyers USS Russell (DDG 59) and USS McCampbell (DDG 85), and the rescue and salvage ship USS Salvor (ARS 52). Other elements included a P-3C Orion aircraft, an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter, and F/A-18 aircraft during the Malaysia phase.

CARAT 2004 involved hundreds of military and civilian members from the five Southeast Asia countries and 1,400 U.S. sailors and Coast Guardsmen. Military leaders of the participating countries coordinated closely in planning the CARAT exercise series, strengthening regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

Just as important as the military exercises were the humanitarian efforts and community relations conducted within each series. They included activities by combined local and U.S. military teams of doctors, dentists, veterinarians, and engineers. Local medical personnel and other community service personnel worked closely with U.S. counterparts to serve each participating community.
Commenting on the success of CARAT 2004, Capt. Little said, “[CARAT] training demonstrates our maritime and militaries’ commitment to not only sharing information and situational awareness, but also the common goal of securing international seas and channels of commerce.” He added, “Through each and everyone’s cooperative efforts, [CARAT 2004] will, without question, serve to strengthen and reinforce the importance and relevance of conducting CARAT [exercises] in the future.”