India-US naval exrecise Malabar-05

From Shishir@BR

[u]American, Indian Navies Demonstrate Sea Partnership[/u]

By JOCS(SW/AW) Scott Williams – USS Nimitz

Seaman Luis Lucero of El Paso, Texas, steers the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) as Cmdr. William Pennington, Executive Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 14, explains details of the helmsman’s watch to an Indian Navy officer. Nimitz is participating in a bilateral exercise with the Indian Navy known as Malabar.

Capt. Ted Branch (right), Commanding Officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), greets Rear Admiral Anup Singh, Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command, Indian Navy, during a distinguished visitor embark. Nimitz is currently participating in MALABAR 2005 off the coast of India. Official U.S. Navy photo by PH3 Jeremiah Sholtis

USS Nimitz Indian Ocean – American and Indian naval forces have teamed together for a bi-lateral naval exercise that began today off the southwest coast of India.
The annual exercise, known as MALABAR ‘05, includes at-sea maneuvers designed to increase interoperability between the two navies and enhance the cooperative security relationship between India and the United States.

More than 6,500 U.S. Navy personnel, primarily from Carrier Strike Group 11, are engaged in air, surface, sub-surface operations, and professional military exchanges with their Indian counterparts. Malabar is considered to be a key element of the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s anti-submarine warfare training cycle.

Rear Adm. Peter Daly, Commander, Carrier Strike Group 11, said “It’s the largest exercise we’ve ever done with the Indian navy, the first-ever exercise with a U.S. carrier and the Indian aircraft carrier, Viraat, and it’s an important step in our strengthening relations with India.”
Carrier Strike Group 11 is working alongside Indian warships as they exercise their skills in maritime interdiction, force protection drills, surface formation steaming, coordinated gun fire support and prosecution of submarines.
Nimitz is providing air support with aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 11 and is hosting several Indian officers as part of an exchange program.
“Apart from professional interaction, we are also looking toward making friends as has been the motto of our navy: ‘building bridges of friendship,’” said Lt. Cmdr. Juzer Nadeem, a fighter direction officer with the Indian Navy. “These series of exercises should continue and the level of interaction increase over the years,” he declared.
Another Indian officer, Lt. Cmdr. Sudipto Maitra, agreed.
“The series of exercises over the years has built up to a very complex scale of operations to the state where two carriers are operating in the same waters, same air space, and so many aircraft flying around very safely. It’s been good,” he said. “We only look forward to greater interaction, greater interoperability, and of course, building bridges of friendship.”
The Indian officers were paired up with their American colleagues on Nimitz. One Air Wing 11 officer said the bilateral relationship was mutually beneficial. “We’ve been learning about how they do business as well,” said Lt. Cmdr. Christian Kidder, Admin Officer with Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117 (VAW-117). [u]“Their carrier does business in much the same way that ours does,” he continued. “They have the same chain of command, same structure within their aircraft carrier on the Viraat.” [/u]
The guided-missile destroyers USS Higgins (DDG 76) and USS Chafee (DDG 90) are the two primary anti-submarine surface ships assigned to the strike group. Led by Capt. Michael Smith, Commander, Destroyer Squadron 23, the two destroyers are key units in the exercise for the American navy.
Other U.S. units providing key support are land-based P-3C Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance planes and the Los Angeles Class attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763).
Malabar was last held a year ago at the same location. This is the seventh replication of the annual exercise.
Carrier Strike Group 11 is commanded by Rear Adm. Peter Daly. Nimitz serves as the flagship for Carrier Strike Group 11 and is homeported in San Diego, Calif., along with Higgins and Princeton. Chafee and USS Santa Fe are homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

http://www.navycompass.com/news/newsview.asp?c=169854

Nice Pics!

This is a MUST SEE L I N K 😎 😎 😎

^^ Excellent pics 😎 😎

War games… American warship USS Chaffe (left) carries out a fuel replacement exercise with INS Aditya (centre) and INS Mysore (right) of the Indian Navy during the ongoing second phase of the joint Indo-US Naval exercise ‘Malabar 05’ off the Goa coast at the Arabian Sea on Saturday.PTI

Malabar 2005 Pics

We have some pics here at:
http://www.india-defence.com/events/9

USS Nimitz and INS Viraat conducting a joint exercise in the Arabian Sea.
(The exercise, part of the Exercise Malabar 05 series, September 25 to October 5, 2005)

^^ helicopter Sea Hawk is seen in a rare expediment of its kind with its safe landing on the India naval ship INS Mysore during the second phase exercises of the Malabar 2005 in the Arabian Sea

^^ I’ll ignore that kind of a loser defeneding comment and move on :

[u]India-U.S. submarine warfare exercises begin today [/u]

VASCO DA GAMA: The first phase of the India-U.S. naval exercise, Malabar 05, involving aircraft carriers of the two navies deployed in the Arabian Sea off the Goa coast, ended on Wednesday.

The second and advanced phase of Malabar 05 will begin on Thursday. It will concentrate on submarine warfare.

In the first phase, the US. Navy deployed elements of its Carrier Strike Group, led by the nuclear-powered strategic aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, the 97,000-tonne displacement giant warship armed with F-18 fighters and an E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft.

First-time participants

Another notable participant was the nuclear submarine, USS Santa Fe, with a displacement of 7,000 tonnes and larger than the Indian Navy’s largest Delhi class destroyers.

The aircraft carriers are taking part in the annual engagement for the first time.

The tactical operations included anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare, besides air attacks on the surface and submarine targets.

Exercise upgraded

“The participation of the carriers indicates upgrading of the exercise, for an entire new dimension of the naval power was brought in,” said Capt. S.P.S. Cheema onboard INS Mysore. He is the commanding officer of India’s sole aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, and tactical commander of Malabar 05.

Besides learning the operations of procedures and systems of their navies, the personnel were exposed to the systems and weapons of the other, with cross-postings not only onboard ships but also in the aircraft, said Commodore John Smith of the U.S. Navy. He commands the destroyer squadron of the strike group.

While U.S. pilots flew in Indian Sea Harriers, the Indian pilots cruised in F-18s and the E-2C Hawkeye.

Indian helicopters on

American cruiser

The Indian Sea King helicopters landed on the American cruiser and destroyers and the U.S. on Indian warships. But cross-landing of fixed-wing aircraft was avoided for want of system compatability and other constraints.

The Indian Navy deployed INS Viraat, the guided missile destroyer, INS Mysore, missile frigates INS Godavari and INS Gomati and supply vessel INS Aditya and submarine INS Shankul.

Boarding of ships by joint parties was another feature.

These capabilities are useful in fighting terrorism and sea-piracy when a warship is required to inspect a merchant ship or another ship for checking weapons running or hijacking.

In the second phase, submarines will detect and act against underwater threats, and surface ships will try to detect hostile submarines, also using their aircraft.

Land-based anti-submarine warfare and maritime reconnaissance aircraft are expected to participate in this phase of the war game.

These include the P-3C Orion aircraft of the U.S. Navy, armed with sea-skimming Harpoon missiles, the Indian Navy will deploy Tu-42s, the long-range surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft.

Capt. Cheema and Commodore Smith said the third phase would include actual naval combat manoeuvre and weapons deployment but not between the Indian and U.S. Navies. There would be two warring forces, Red and Blue. The two sides would comprise ships of both navies. The war game ends on October 4.

The USS Nimitz and her cruiser escort, USS Princeton, and an oiler left, having played their role in the first phase.

http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/29/stories/2005092916291500.htm

I’m still waiting to see that the Indians took out Nimitz with a rowboat so everybody can start clamoring about the demise of the US navy without a thought to the facts.

The poor Sea harrier does not have bVR, have they discounted BVR from the exercises?

Wonder if the F-18 sales pitch is playing its part there.

[COLOR=Magenta]Second phase Malabar-05 joint Indo-US naval exercise begins[/COLOR]

Abhijit Sathe, Vasco Da Gama (On board USS Chafee), Sep 29 (PTI) The Indian and US navies today began the second phase of Malabar-05 joint exercise in the Arabian Sea, with a series of manouvers aimed at building up confidence and inter-operability.
The exercise was participated by Indian naval aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, guided missle destroyer INS Mysore, and its fuel replenishment tanker, INS Aditya besides submarine, INS Shankul, while the US navy participated in the form of its guided missle destroyer, USS Chafee.

The vessels from both navies got engaged in search and rescue operations, submarine rescue, mid-sea refuelling and other tactical exercises.

At the rise of the sun, all the vessels sailed deep in the sea where they first joined in several strategic formations before engaging into joint tasks. Naval Chetak helicopters later landed on USS Chafee while the US strike helicopters SH-60 landed on INS Viraat.

The highlight of the event, however, was the mid-sea refuelling exercise in which Indian naval oil supply vessel INS Aditya performed the difficult task of going into simultaneous formations with INS Mysore and USS Chafee to help them replenishing their fuel stocks.

This was an important exercise for the two navies since refuelling mid-sea is a difficult task, particularly in a war and the tanker and the vessel could prove sitting ducks for the enemy, a senior Indian naval official told PTI here.

http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=325961

[u]More than expected achieved during Indo-US naval exercises: Smith[/u]

Asserting that “more than expected” had been achieved during joint Indo-US naval exercises, US Commodore of Defence Staff Mike Smith said aboard INS Mysore on Thursday that he favoured more advanced exercises in next phase.

At the end of the first phase of the eighth Indo-US joint naval exercise ‘Malabar-05,’ Smith said he would recommend doing away with basic exercises and moving to more advanced exercises.

“With Malabar-05 exercise, we have accomplished more than what we expected,” he told a joint press conference with Commanding Officer of Indian aircraft carrier ‘INS Viraat’ Captain S P S Cheema.

With the two navies taking up advanced exercises, including war-at-sea on Friday, Smith said he was “extremely impressed by joint exercise so far which has brought to the forefront many similarities between two navies and shown that both together can compliment each other in achieving goals (of security), including regional security in this part of the world,” he said.

‘Malabar-05’ witnessed participation of aircraft carriers from both sides for the first time. The ‘USS Nimitz’, an aircraft carrier which can hold over 100 aircraft in its belly, participated in the first phase.

Apart from ‘USS Nimitz’, US nuclear submarine ‘USS Santa Fe’ was also a highlight of the exercise, with Indian participation coming in the form of ‘INS Shankul’.

Over 12,000 personnel from both sides are participating in the exercises, primarily aimed at developing inter-operability confidence to tackle piracy, terrorism and relief and rescue issues in the region and elsewhere. The exercises also witnessed exchange of officers and sailors by both navies on vessels and operating aircraft and helicopters.

While helicopters from both sides conducted landings on each others vessels, the fighters did not land due to operational reasons, Indian naval authorities said.

Cheema said ‘Malabar-05’ exercise was ‘different’ since it witnessed participation of aircraft carrier from both sides.

“The moment you have aircraft carriers participating, the dimensions of the exercise change. With the carriers, you have fighters and the inter-operability challenges grow,” Cheema said.

Participation of aircraft carriers on both sides is indicative of both navies endeavouring in high-level of inter-operability, he said, adding that in the first phase, Indian ‘Sea Harrier’ and American ‘F-18s’ got engaged in air combat, controlled by American ‘E2C Hawkeye’ aircraft and ‘INS Viraat.’

According to Indian Naval officials, the exercise provided large canvas on which both navies operated and the entire experience was professionally stimulating and gratifying.

Captain Cheema informed that the second phase will have submarine to submarine exercises and a 24-hour war-at-sea aimed at exercising mission skills of the two navies in a complex scenario.

http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/sep/29navy.htm

[u]Indian, US aircraft carriers go head-to-head in war games[/u]

The North Arabian Sea would become the stage of a formidable build-up of naval armada, including 100,000-tonne displacement United States carrier Nimitz, as Indian and American flotilla cross swords in a nine-day joint manoeuvre from September 25.

The eighth series of exercises, billed the most advanced so far, would not only see the pride of the US seventh fleet, Nimitz, in action, but also bring the carrier-based E2C Hawkeye Air Early Warning aircraft, the Los Angeles class submarines and the F-18/A hornet to Indian shores.

Against such formidable forces, the Indian Navy would pit its lone carrier, INS Viraat, carrier-based Sea Harriers, indigenously-built Delhi Class destroyer INS Mysore, Godavari class missile frigate and Shishumar class submarines.

“The two flotilla would engage in simulated air strikes, air defence, shepherding battle ships as well as surface-to- air and sub-sea tactical operations,” Rear Admiral DK Joshi, the assistant chief of Naval Staff said. “The thrust of the Malabar-05 exercise this year would also be on counter-terrorism operations at sea, anti-sea piracy and to streamline interoperability.”

US offers 8 navy planes to India
Joshi said during the exercises, in which Indian Navy’s ageing vertical take-off Sea Harriers jets would take on the far superior F-18 hornets, India would also field its Russian acquired TU-142m long-range maritime patrol aircraft as well as Seaking helicopters in both their roles – as anti-submarines and ferrying special marine forces.

The Rear Admiral said during exercises, there would not be any ‘cross-landings’ or ‘cross personnel exchanges’, as had been witnessed during Indo-US fighter-to-fighter exercises recently. “The two navies have evolved standard operating procedures, which are regularly tested and updated during these bilateral exercises”, Joshi said.

He said these exercises would be followed up by joint Indo-US Naval Special Forces exercises in Guam in the Pacific in January 2006. During the exercises, the P3C Orions, US Navy’s long- range maritime reconiassance aircraft would be operating from the Indian Navy’s sole land base at Dabolim in Goa.

The US recently offered to the Indian Navy, four Orions from early next year as a prelude to a major government-to- government sale.

http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/sep/23games.htm

[u]Mulford, Tata tour US warship in Malabar-05 [/u]

SOMEWHERE IN THE ARABIAN SEA, SEP 27 (PTI)
American Ambassador David Mulford, industrialist Ratan Tata and Congress leader Satish Sharma, besides senior Indian Naval officers, were among the dignitaries today to visit the US aircraft carrier Nimitz, the star attraction at the ongoing Indo-US joint naval exercise ‘Malabar-05’.

“When you meet people from a different country and work with them, in this case Indians, it helps foster friendship and trust”, Captain of USS Nimitz, Ted Branch told a group of journalists who visited the warship.

Since the warships are used for humanitarian missions as well for combat, the interaction between Navies helps a meaningful partnership to grow, he added.

Navies of the two countries are engaging in a joint exercise after a long gap, since the exercises were discontinued after the Pokhran nuclear tests.

Apart from USS Nimitz, that had participated in the US action against Iraq in 2003, a nuclear submarine, besides destroyers and reconnaissance aircrafts are participating from the US side, while India’s aircraft carrier INS Viraat, destroyers, frigates and reconnaissance aircrafts are taking part, the total participation of personnel from both sides being nearly 10,000.

While the Naval exercise entered its third day today, the star attraction continued to remain the USS Nimitz, the aircraft carrier named after Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, one of American World War II heroes who was set on the Japanese trail after attack on the Pearl Harbour.

The Indo-US naval exercise, eighth in the series, began on September 25 and would continue till October four. The USS Nimitz has on board FA-18 Super Hornet fighters and E2C Hawkeye Air Early Warning aircraft. The US side also comprises two Aegies class destroyers, one Los Angeles class SSN and P3C Orion aircraft.

INS Viraat has on board the Sea Harrier fighters and Sea King helicopters. The Indian side also has a Delhi class guided-missile destroyer, Godavari class guided-missile frigate, Shishumar class submarine, an Underway Replenishment Tanker, Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol aircraft and other multi-role helicopters.

The thrust of this year’s Exercise Malabar is on aviation inter-operability between the FA-18 and Sea Harrier fighters, advanced anti-submarine warfare, sea control mission, fleet air defence, surface firing, maritime interdiction operations and visit board search and seizure operations towards anti-piracy and counter terrorism actions at sea.

The exercise is a part of the wider cooperation between both the Navies which includes service-to-service interaction, high-level visits, joint exercises of increasing scope and complexity and military training.

http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=325620

USS Chafee — destroyer with a difference

Arunkumar Bhatt

A `day at sea’ for the two navies off Goa for displaying their finest skills in ship handling and seamanship

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All decks have anti-skid features
GPS for knowing the position of the Chafee and electronic maps to record her course
Women do all jobs that the male officers and men do
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^^ SPOT ON: An American anti-submarine helicopter, Seahawk, landing on INS Mysore during the second phase of `Malabar 05′, an India-U.S. naval exercise in the Arabian Sea, off the Goa coast on Thursday.

VASCO DA GAMA (GOA): The Indian and American warships on Thursday took a day off from their ongoing exercise, Malabar 05, to stage a `day at sea’ off Goa displaying their finest skills in ship handling and seamanship, one being second to none as guided missile destroyer USS Chafee bared her highly advanced design and equipment to Indians.

USS Chafee that displaces 9200 tonnes is much larger than its Indian counterpart, INS Mysore and like her operates two helicopters, SH-60 Sea Hawk for anti-submarine and surface warfare but she has two Mk-41 Vertical Launching Systems capable of launching a variety of missiles for anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, anti-shipping, self-defence and land strike purposes in fast reaction to multiple threat with concentrated and continuous firepower. The weapons include long-range ground attacking cruise missile, Tomahawk.

INS Mysore (displaces 6,200 tonnes) is yet to be armed with cruise missiles such as Brahmos. The Indian designed and built destroyer does not boast of the Mk-41 VLS but has 16 Uran surface-to-surface missiles, anti-air missiles and torpedoes, showing that she is packed with a stronger punch compared to her size. But the striking difference is the advanced electronics and so many support equipment of the USS Chafee.

“But what we have onboard our warships is enough for our requirements,” argues Leading Radio Operator of the Indian Navy, Nilesh Pandey posted on the Chafee to understand the American way of communication. “Our weather conditions and environment do not call for such elaborate protection against wind and waves.”

The use of high technology, however, has not diminished the U.S. Navy’s trust in old ways of sailing and running a warship — very much like the Indian Navy. So one finds a sailor on the upper deck conveying a message to the Indian fleet replenishment tanker, INS Aditya that had come alongside `to supply’ oil and material. “The semaphore is the most reliable way in which we do not break the radio silence so we use it along with satellite communication,” chuckles Chief Petty Officer Martin, a cryptologist.

Similarly, lady Quarter Master Tamara Neff uses satellite aided GPS (ground position satellite) for knowing the position of the Chafee and electronic maps to record her course. But this does not mean that she has given up manual tracing of the ship’s course and positions on a paper chart, using a sextant, compass and geometry instruments. “Well, the Navy thinks it is good to have the manual back-up in case the equipment fail,” she tells The Hindu looking up from her chart table in the bridge, from where the ship is steered and controlled and navigated. The view in the Indian Navy is not different though one does not find a lady at a chart table of `desi’ warships.

Of the 283-strong complement of the USS Chafee, 45 are women. Interestingly, they are called female `seaman.’ The ship has all the sanitation and living facilities to cater to the needs of the female officers and `men’ but otherwise there is no difference. The women do all jobs that the male officers and men do.

An Indian naval captain was especially interested in parallel facilities created onboard for the women in anticipation of the needs of the Indian Navy in near future.

The replenishment at sea (RAS) stole the show of the day. The fleet tanker, INS Aditya moved in for a rendezvous with the warships.

USS Chafee speeded up to go on Aditya’s starboard side and adjusted her speed. Soon both ships were charting the same course and making the same speed, maintaining very close distance. Similarly, INS Mysore appeared on Aditya’s port side and so did INS Gomati on Mysore’s port.

A bullet was fired to extend a line across the Chafee and at its end came a rope. Similarly a hosepipe was extended to give oil. A test weight was launched to pass across another line — it contained Indian snacks (samosa).

While the ships practised replenishment, the aircraft of INS Viraat took off and patrolled the area as an Indian frigate maintained station ahead. Replenishing ships are most vulnerable to enemy attack.

http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/30/stories/2005093004061300.htm