Large Scale Naval Exercise Concludes in Indian Ocean Region

Exercise La Perouse, a five nation multinational large scale naval exercise led by the French Navy has concluded in the Eastern Indian Ocean region.

Ex La Perouse was held as part of the French Navy’s annual Mission Jeanne d’Arc deployment and featured participation from the US Navy (USN), Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and Indian Navy (IN).

Participating naval vessels included the French amphibious assault ship Tonnerre and frigate Surcouf; amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset; HMAS Anzac, a frigate and tanker Sirius deployed by the RAN; JMSDF destroyer Akebono and Indian warships, INS Satpura and Kiltan.

During the exercises, French Panther helicopters and Australian and Japanese Seahawk helicopters took part in a large air defence exercise.

Touch and go landings were later performed with a French Panther helicopter landing on the JMSDF frigate Akebono, Japanese and Australian Seahawk helicopters landing on the Tonnerre and Satpura respectively, while an Indian Sea King helicopter landed on the Anzac.

Over the course of the three day exercises, the eight ships were divided into three groups whose composition changed daily with training exercises in navigation in formation, anti-aircraft and anti-aircraft defence drills, artillery fire, etc.

The USS Somerset’s UH-1Y Venom helicopters assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164 (Reinforced), 15th MEU were used to simulate air defence threats as well.