US-Led Quad Stages Naval Drills In North Pacific

Joint naval drills of the United States, Japan, Australia and India members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad began on Tuesday off the Japanese coast in the northwestern Pacific, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force said

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2022) Joint naval drills of the United States, Japan, Australia and India members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad began on Tuesday off the Japanese coast in the northwestern Pacific, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force said.

The Malabar exercise was first held by the US and India 30 years ago, with Japan joining in 2007 and Australia in 2020. The four nations revived the Quad alliance in 2017 after it was terminated in 2008 over differences in their approach to China, among other issues.

Japan launched the exercise with a ceremony in the city of Yokosuka, which is home to a US navy base.

The eight-day exercise is taking place in the waters off the central Kanto region. The navies will drill anti-submarine and anti-missile warfare and refueling at sea.

The US fielded the Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, a guided-missile cruiser and a guided-missile destroyer. Japan is represented by three destroyers, a landing ship, a replenishment ship and a submarine. India sent a multi-role frigate and an anti-sub corvette, while Australia sent a frigate, a replenishment ship and a submarine.