Photo: Collected
The United States and Sri Lanka are set to collaborate in the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) maritime exercise at Sri Lanka’s military base in Trincomalee starting Monday (22 April), the US Embassy in the island state said.
"From April 22-26 in Trincomalee, the United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and Sri Lanka Navy will partner for the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Sri Lanka 2024 exercise. CARAT Sri Lanka will feature the expertise of the U.S. Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST), a U.S. Marine Corps unit specialized in security and anti-terrorism for naval assets, engaging alongside their Sri Lanka Navy Marine counterparts on a full spectrum of naval capabilities," the embassy said in a statement on Sunday.
This is the fifth CARAT Sri Lanka bilateral maritime exercise between the two countries that involves about 70 US personnel and "stands as a powerful symbol of [countries’] partnership" and mutual commitment, the statement read.
"Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this exercise series is designed to enhance the operational collaboration between the U.S. and partner navies’ abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and build relationships through sports, cultural, and information exchanges," the statement added.
The CARAT drills format was first launched in 1995 as a series of bilateral or multilateral exercises between the US and Indo-Pacific nations, such as Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.
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