Maritime forces from Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy and U.S. Navy are conducting cooperative maritime exercise Pacific Vanguard 2024 beginning on Aug. 24.
Pacific Vanguard is an opportunity for service members from four Indo-Pacific countries to strengthen their skills in maritime operations, anti-submarine warfare operations, air warfare operations and advanced maneuvering scenarios.
“We are completely confident that we can be more capable by improving our interoperability and tactical skills during this high level multi-domain exercise – Pacific Vanguard,” said Rear Adm. Kazushi Yokota, commander of the JMSDF’s Escort Flotilla 3. “We work together, learn from each other’s professionalism, and grow together.”
Included in the forces taking part in this year’s exercise are Canada’s Halifax-class frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331); Japan’s Murasame-class destroyer JS Ariake (DD 109); Republic of Korea’s first-in-class destroyer ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin (DDH 975); and the U.S.’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105), as well as aircraft from Commander, Task Force (CTF) 72 and Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 134.
“HMCS Vancouver is honored to once again be working alongside our allies and partners in the region,” said Cmdr. Tyson Bergmann, commanding officer of Vancouver. “Currently, HMCS Vancouver is on Operation Horizon, Canada’s forward-presence mission to promote peace and stability in support of the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region. Our participation in Exercise Pacific Vanguard is a part of that strategy and a way to show Canada’s commitment to increasing security-based engagements in the region to enhance peace, resiliency, and security.”
USS Dewey is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force. DESRON 15 and VAQ 134 operate under Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70.
“Pacific Vanguard 2024 has gathered key players from the Indo-Pacific region and provided us an opportunity to train in a challenging dynamic environment,” said Capt. David Huljack, deputy commander of DESRON 15. “We look forward to engaging in high-end warfighting scenarios and advanced maneuvering scenarios at sea as a combined multinational force with an emphasis on interchangeability.”
Additionally, the exercise provides personnel from the four nations’ forces ashore opportunities to build shared multi-domain awareness and develop relationships that will help streamline combined operations in response to any crisis.
“Pacific Vanguard is another example of the continuous strengthening of personal and professional relationships with some of our closest allies,” said Rear Adm. Greg Newkirk, commander of Task Force 70. “The planning, refining and execution of tactics, techniques and procedures resident in our already interoperable, multinational force in all domains, prepare us for any future missions we might face together. Pacific Vanguard is but one of many similar exercises we are planning or executing every day in the Indo-Pacific.”
The U.S. military and its allies and partners routinely operate in designated land, air, and sea areas of the Mariana Islands to safely train service members in equipment use, tactics, joint operations, and humanitarian aid missions.
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.