The United States Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755), together with its counterparts from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), have concluded bilateral operations and security exercises in the West Philippine Sea.
Munro, a 418-foot national security cutter, arrived at the Subic Bay in Zambales on Tuesday, Aug. 31, following its participation in the bilateral operations that also involved search-and-rescue and communications exercises, small boat operations, multi-vessel maneuvering, and maritime domain awareness drills while at sea.
Capt. Blake Novak, Munro’s Commanding Officer, said partnering with their counterparts from the PCG and the BFAR is important to the “shared interest” in the free and open maritime environment amid the increasingly becoming complex maritime security challenges in the Indo Pacific region.
“We thoroughly enjoyed our Philippine hosts’ professionalism and hospitality, and we look forward to future bilateral operations to further our longstanding relationship,” Novak said in a statement posted on the USCG’s official website.
The search-and-rescue exercise simulated the agencies’ bilateral response to a vessel in distress. During the exercise, the Munro, PCG, and BFAR practiced searching for the distressed vessel, shipboard firefighting techniques, and recovering and treating persons in the water.
Members of the PCG joined USCG members aboard Munro as they launched the cutter’s Small Unmanned Aircraft System to aid in the search-and-rescue response, and provided opportunities for each involved agency to learn from each other.
Admiral George Ursabia Jr., PCG commandant emphasized that the success of the joint maritime exercise between the PCG and USCG will not only strengthen international partnerships for immediate response to calamities and disasters but will also ensure that PCG personnel could “effectively perform their mandated functions in countering terrorism and other acts of lawlessness in the country’s waters”.
In 2019, the US Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf conducted engagements with the PCG as part of its Western Pacific deployment, focusing on search and rescue, maritime security, and law enforcement capabilities.
Munro left its homeport of Alameda, California, in July for deployment to the Western Pacific. Operating under the tactical control of the US 7th Fleet, the cutter and crew are engaging in professional exchanges and capacity-building exercises with partner nations and are patrolling and conducting operations as directed.
Munro features advanced command and control capabilities, aviation support facilities, stern cutter boat launch, and increased endurance for long-range patrols, enabling the crews to disrupt threats to national security further offshore.
“The Coast Guard shares deep and abiding interests with our allies and partners, who, like us, have long endorsed a rules-based international order,” said Vice Adm. Michael McAllister, commander, US Coast Guard Pacific Area.
McAllister added that partnering with the Philippines to enhance maritime governance, including important missions such as search and rescue and enforcement of fisheries laws and treaties, is “essential to the security, stability and prosperity of all nations.”