US Navy, US Marine Corps, Philippine Navy Train At Exercise Sama Sama 2024

The eighth edition of Exercise Sama Sama is now underway in the ​Philippines with participation from the U.S Navy, ​US ​Marine Corps and the Armed Forces of the Philippines​.

The two week long maritime exercise is being held in the vicinity of Subic Bay and is part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) series. This year​’s​ ​exercises features participants from ​Australia, Japan, Canada, France​, and​ Japan.

The Philippine Navy Head of Delegation, Rear Adm. Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, Vice Commander of the Philippine Navy said the exercises are witness to the deepening of ties between the Philippine Navy and the US Navy along with our partners from Australia, Canada, France, United Kingdom, and Japan. 

“This exercise is a powerful investment for our collective movement and an opportunity to address regional challenges together,” he added.

The Philippine-US bilateral exercise with invited allied and partner participants will witness the participants working alongside naval vessels and maritime surveillance aircraft, ​​​​specialized teams​, including ​diving and explosive ordnance disposal units​,​​ ​ conduct of high-intensity drills focusing on anti-submarine warfare​, ​anti-​surface warfare​, ​anti-​air warfare​, and maritime domain awareness.

The bilateral event between the United States and the Philippines has evolved significantly since its inception, now growing into a multilateral and multiplatform operation, bringing together like-minded partners from across the Indo-Pacific, said the US Head of Delegation, Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, Commander Logistics Western Pacific, and Task Force 73.

The U.S. Navy has brought its​ Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83), and a P-8A Poseidon ​maritime surveillance aircraft​ to the exercises, along with personnel from ​US 7th Fleet​;​ Command Task Forces (CTF) 76, 75 and 72​;​ Command, Destroyer Squadron Seven (DESRON 7)​;​ and the Marine Corps’ ​​Marine Rotational Force​ – Southeast Asia​ (MRF-SEA).

The Philippine Navy is participating with BRP Jose Rizal (FF 150)​;​ BRP Waray (LC-288)​;​​ BRP Nestor Reinoso (PC 380)​;​​ a Force Reconnaissance Group, Naval Special Operations Unit 2​;​ and supporting units ​that include​ a medical and media team. ​The Royal Canadian Navy​ has brought a Halifax-class frigate ​​HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) and a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter​. The Japa​n Maritime Self-Defence Force​ is participating with a Shin Maywa US-2 amphibious aircraft and Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft​.