Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Paul Kelly | Cmdr. Jeff Heames, executive officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) talks with Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Lt. Masaaki Mizunuma, navigator aboard Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship, JDS Murasame (DD 101) about the similarities of getting underway on their respective ships as Preble pulls out to sea. Preble is on patrol in the 7th Fleet area of operations supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul Kelly/ Released) see less
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YOKOSUKA, Japan - Naval personnel and units from Australia, Japan, and the United States will participate in the tri-lateral Pacific Bond 2013 exercise from June 22-26, 2013.
First held in 2012, Pacific Bond is a multinational naval exercise and is the latest in a continuing series of exercises conducted to advance multinational maritime relationships and mutual security issues. Conducted in the western Pacific Ocean, in the vicinity of the Marianas Island chain, it is designed to advance participating nations’ military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.
The overarching goal of the exercise is to enhance the compatibility of the participating maritime forces in support of our mutual desire to improve maritime security in the global commons.
Scheduled participants from the U.S. Navy participants include the guided missile destroyers USS Preble (DDG 88) and USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 89); members of the forward deployed Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15; one P-3C aircraft; one submarine; helicopters and personnel from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 and personnel from Naval Special Warfare Unit (NSWU) 1.
For information on the planned participation of units from the Royal Australian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, please contact the Australian or Japanese Ministries of Defense, respectively.