According to pictures released by the U.S. Department of Defense on November 7, 2020, Bangladesh and U.S. navies conduct a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal as part of the sea phase of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh 2020.
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Sailors aboard the expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Millinocket (T-EPF 3) navigate the ship from the bridge as ships from the Bangladesh navy maneuver in formation during the sea phase of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh. (Picture source U.S. Navy)
Ships from the Bangladesh Navy meet with USNS Millinocket (T-EPF 3) in the Bay of Bengal as part of the sea phase of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh 2020. The exercise demonstrates the U.S.’s continuing commitment to work with the Bangladesh military to address shared maritime security concerns in the region and strengthen partnerships to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
These military exercises are designed to enhance interoperability between the two navies. U.S. and Bangladesh will work through coordinated deployment of surface ships, to include tactical maneuvers among other activities. The sea phase of the exercise will take place in the Bay of Bengal with ships from both countries.
The U.S. and Bangladesh work through coordinated deployment of surface ships, to include tactical maneuvers. Ships will also participate in a gunnery exercise, rehearse division tactics, man overboard and search and rescue procedures, and RAS approaches, all designed to enhance communication sail together in complex maneuvers.
This year marks the 26th iteration of CARAT, a multinational exercise designed to enhance U.S. and partner navies' abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
The USNS Millinocket (T-EPF-3) is the third Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) , which is part of the United States Military Sealift Command and was built in Mobile, Alabama. The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF) is a United States Navy–led shipbuilding program to provide "a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army.
The EPF can transport US Army and US Marine Corps company-sized units with their vehicles, or reconfigure to become a troop transport for an infantry battalion. It has a flight deck for helicopter operations and a loading ramp that allows vehicles to quickly drive on and off the ship. The ramp is suitable for the types of austere piers and quay walls common in developing countries. EPF has a shallow draft (under 15 feet (4.6 m))
