S'pore to host joint sea exercise

S'pore to host joint sea exercise

SINGAPORE: The navies of 14 countries in the Pacific Rim are to hold their first joint sea exercise this weekend in the South China Sea, the Straits Times newspaper reported on Thursday.

Fifteen ships as well as a number of maritime patrol planes and helicopters will carry out two days of maneuvers to test how well their ships and aircraft work together.

The exercise will involve warships exchanging information electronically with each other and with the aircraft to obtain a clearer picture of what lies beyond their visual horizons. They also hope to improve their ability to cooperate during emergencies, such as in mine-clearing work and search-and-rescue operations.

The participating countries are among 18 that belong to a group called the Western Pacific Naval Symposium. Member navies include Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Tonga, the United States and Vietnam.

The grouping was started in 1988 for navies around the Pacific to discuss maritime issues and promote mutual understanding through the exchange of information. -- DPA