The US Coast Guard (USCG), Japan Coast Guard (JCG), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) have completed their first trilateral search-and-rescue exercise held in Japanese waters. The exercise in Kagoshima Bay concluded with the departure of the USCG Cutter Stratton on June 20.
The exercise involved the Stratton, the JCG vessel Asanagi, and the PCG vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua. Officials noted this was the first time the trilateral exercise with the PCG has occurred outside of Philippine territorial seas, emphasizing growing cooperation among the three nations.
The at-sea drills included a simulated man-overboard scenario where the Stratton used its ScanEagle unmanned aerial system for search operations and a JCG helicopter deployed a rescue swimmer. The event culminated in a joint firefighting exercise.
Capt. Brian Krautler, the Stratton's commanding officer, stated that operating together strengthens the collective forces and ensures readiness against threats to maritime safety and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The Stratton is a 418-foot (127-metre) Legend-class National Security Cutter homeported in Alameda, California.