Sailors assigned to littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) drive an 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat to Philippine Navy ship Ramon Alcaraz (FF 16) for personnel transfer. The U.S. and Philippine navies are conducting a coordinated counter-piracy patrol to protect maritime commerce and enhance maritime security in the region by enhancing both navies’ ability to respond to transnational criminal and terror activity. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Deven Leigh Ellis/Released
Sailors operate a twin-boom extensible crane during boat operations aboard littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) during boat operations while the Philippine Navy ship Ramon Alcaraz steams astern. The U.S. and Philippine navies are conducting a coordinated counter-piracy patrol to protect maritime commerce and enhance maritime security in the region by enhancing both navies’ ability to respond to transnational criminal and terror activity. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Deven Leigh Ellis/Released
The Philippines and United States held coordinated patrol in Sulu Sea in a bid to detect and deter threats to maritime security, the US Embassy in Manila said.
The littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) completed the patrol in Sulu Sea, the tri-border area between southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, on Saturday.
“These patrols enhance regional peace and stability,” said Rear Adm. Don Gabrielson, Commander, Task Force 73.
“Our at-sea operations with the Philippine Navy demonstrate our commitment to the alliance and deter piracy and illegal activities,” he added.
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The embassy said the activity was upon the invitation of the Philippine government.
A few sailors of the Philippine Navy went aboard the USS Coronado to coordinate communications and movements between the two ships.
“The Philippine sailors also exchanged best practices with their U.S. counterparts in visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) techniques and information sharing,” the embassy said.
The patrol aimed “to respond to piracy and transnational criminal activity at sea,” and also to highlight the US commitment to the security of the Philippines and promote stability and prosperity in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, it added.
Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia launched joint patrols in the Sulu Sea last month to combat terrorism and transnational crimes.
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This came as clashes in Marawi City between government troops and IS-linked terrorists dragged on for more than a month now.
USS Coronado recently completed the Maritime Training Activity Sama-Sama with the Philippine Navy in the vicinity of Cebu, which also aimed “to sharpen tactical skills in maritime security operations that were employed during the coordinated patrol.”
President Rodrigo Duterte, a staunch critic of the United States wanted the Balikatan, the biggest of the joint Filipino and American drills scrapped last year but eventually softened his stance. But other PH-US drills like the Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise (Phiblex) and Cooperation Afloat and Readiness Training (Carat), which focus on external and maritime security, were scrapped
The two countries, however, continued their regular bilateral exercises such as the Maritime Training Activity Sama Sama, the Rim of the Pacific exercise (RIMPAC), the Asian Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM-Plus), and other bilateral subject matter expert exchanges. IDL