RMAF joins US Navy in bilateral exercise over South China Sea

PETALING JAYA: The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has joined in a bilateral exercise with the US Navy's Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group over the South China Sea.

It was the first bilateral exercise between Malaysia and the United States in 2021, according to the US Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 had engaged in Dissimilar Air Combat Training with the RMAF, which took place on Wednesday (April 7).

Capt Michael Langbehn, who is the Carrier Air Wing 11 commander, said both countries had the opportunity to hone their tactics and enhance their ability to work side by side.

“Much like iron sharpens iron, these high-end exercises with RMAF enable us to learn from each other and provide realistic training in the air.

“The air wing appreciates the chance to fly alongside our partners as we work to increase our ability to operate together, ” he said.

The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment to the US 7th Fleet to help prevent conflict and to build partnerships that foster maritime security.

It is also deployed to conduct a wide range of operations that support humanitarian efforts and act as deterrence to potential malign actions.

It consists of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Destroyer Squadron 23, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Russell (DDG 59) and USS John Finn (DDG 113).