Article Posted on : - Sep 28, 2010

A File photo of South Korean Navy Patrol Combat Corvettes staging an anti-submarine exercise off the western coast town of Taean.

YONGSAN GARRISON, S KOREA (BNS): The navies of United States and South Korea have started anti-submarine warfare exercise in the waters west of the Korean peninsula on Monday.

According to the US officials, the exercise is part of a series of combined naval training events that are defensive in nature and enhance interoperability.

The exercise will be second in the series and will focus on the anti-submarine warfare tactics, techniques and procedures to improve the overall anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the US-South Korean alliance.

Participating units from the US Navy include the guided-missile destroyers USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), the ocean surveillance ship USNS Victorious (T-AGOS-19), P-3C Orion aircraft from Patrol Squadron 9 and a fast attack submarine.

The South Korean Navy will deploy two destroyers, a fast frigate, a patrol craft, P-3C aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 6 and a submarine in the exercise.

This exercise, which was originally scheduled from September 5-9, was delayed due to the Typhoon Malou arriving in Korean waters, said officials.