GC ships & 1st international exercise

The Alabama-built Littoral Combat Ship USS Montgomery (LCS-8) was operating in the Pacific Ocean and participating in its first international exercise since the LCS program reorganized and rebooted its deployments to Singapore. LCS-8 is at sea for the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Indonesia 2019, which kicked off Aug. 1 off Surabaya in the Java Sea. CARAT pairs the Independence-variant LCS with the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport USNS Fall River (T-EPF 4) – both built at Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. – and the Mississippi-built USCGC Stratton (WMSL 752) - as well as Indonesian Corvette Class Frigate KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda, Fatahillah Class Frigate KRI Nalaand Fast Attack Craft KRI Sampari. Lt. Cmdr. Sean Riordan, a spokesman for the Navy’s Logistics Group Western Pacific and Task Force 73, told USNI News that USS Montgomery, which deployed with the LCS surface warfare mission package, would be fully integrated into the operation and contributing to maintaining maritime domain awareness. USS Montgomery, USNS Fall River, and CG Cutter Stratton, are training “hull-to-hull” with the Indonesian Navy during the sea phase, including ship-handling, replenishments-at-sea, gunnery exercises” and search and seizure, he said. This year marks 70 years of U.S.-Indonesian diplomatic relations and the silver anniversary (25th) of CARAT between the two navies to address our shared maritime concerns. (Source: USNI News 08/05/19)