Suci Sekarwati, Jakarta – The United States Navy and Marine Corps, together with the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) and Marine Corps (Kormar RI) in Bandar Lampung, on May 13, 2024, began the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Indonesia 2024 exercise.
This is the 30th CARAT event and the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and the United States.
CARAT Indonesia is a joint bilateral maritime exercise that took place on the coast of Bandar Lampung and in the Java Sea from May 13 to 20, 2024.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Jakarta explained in a statement that the main objectives of the CARAT maritime exercise series are to promote regional security cooperation, maintain and strengthen maritime partnerships, and improve interoperability among participating units.
"CARAT contributes to regional maritime security by enhancing our ability to work side-by-side at sea across a broad range of naval competencies," said Tate Robinson, commander of the US Navy's Amphibious Squadron Five.
The US Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific for over 75 years, and 2024 marks 30 years of the CARAT series. This joint military exercise will feature three main components over the next week. The beach phase will include expert exchanges, jungle exercises, and community relations.
American and Indonesian medical forces will conduct a range of joint exercises, including Public health promotion and education, tactical combat casualty care and the application of casualty evacuation practices. The sea phase will include amphibious operations, or the Indonesian partners call the "full mission profile."
"We are excited to test our capabilities across the spectrum of military operations with our Indonesian counterparts. Training side-by-side across multiple skill areas makes us stronger and more integrated, better prepared to provide a multi-national response to any natural disaster or crisis," said Commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), US Marine Corps Colonel Sean Dynan.
US Navy ship USS Somerset and elements of the 15th MEU are conducting routine operations in the US 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Under Commander US Pacific Fleet, the 7th Fleet is the US Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet and regularly interacts and operates with 35 maritime nations in safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific region.