Previous Story
Naval Base Guam hosts US, Japanese ships for Multi-sail 2016
APRA HARBOR, Guam—Ten naval surface combatants assigned to the U.S. and Japanese navies arrived in-port to Apra Harbor, U.S. Naval Base Guam, as part of the bilateral exercise, Multi-Sail 2016 (MS-16) last Friday.
The ship composition includes five forward deployed U.S. Arleigh Burke class destroyers and one Ticonderoga class cruiser and four Japanese Maritime Defense (JMSDF) destroyers including one destroyer command ship. The arrival of MS-16 surface ships increased the total number of visiting and home-ported vessels at the base to 20 and marked the largest contingent of vessels in Apra Harbor in more than 30 years.
Multi Sail is a six-day bilateral training event under the exercise control of Commander, Destroyer Squadron 15. MS-16 is aimed at interoperability and collective benefits from realistic, shared training between the U.S. and Japanese forces. This training enables real-world proficiency in sustaining combined forces through detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land, and underwater in response to a range of mission areas, as well as ensuring stability and security throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
The U.S. and JMSDF ships will conduct combined operations in the waters off Guam over the next week, exercising a wide range of capabilities and demonstrating the inherent flexibility of combined forces. These capabilities range from maritime security operations to anti-submarine and air defense exercises as well as complex war fighting.
“Naval Base Guam exists to support forward deployed operations and our warfighters at sea,” said Capt. Andy Anderson, Commanding Officer of NBG. “Apra Harbor is a major contributor to the U.S. Navy’s maritime strategy and our ability to sustain the fleet in this part of the globe. We are excited to host all these ships and demonstrate our capability to support our maritime forces in-port Guam.” (PR)
