US, UK Warships Carry Out Joint Maneuvers In South China Sea - Indo-Pacific Command

Fakhir Rizvi Published January 17, 2019 | 02:48 AM

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2019) A US Navy guided missile destroyer and a UK Navy frigate carried out joint exercises together in the South China Sea over the past week, the US Indo-Pacific Command said in an official news article.

"The Arleigh-Burke guided missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) and Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll (F231) conducted operations together in the South China Sea, January 11-16," the Indo-Pacific Command said on Wednesday.

At sea, McCampbell and Argyll conducted communication drills, division tactics and carried out a personnel exchange designed to address common maritime security priorities, the Indo-Pacific Command explained.

The cooperative deployment follows a trilateral anti-submarine warfare exercise between the US Navy, UK Navy, and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force on December 21-22, the Indo-Pacific Command said.

The naval exercises were conducted for the first time since China built strategic outposts in the sea, which is seen as a crucially important global waterway for international trade.