Maritime joint anti-piracy drill of Chinese and American navies

The Chinese and American naval ships sent their observers and liaison officers to each other to observe and experience the sailing organization, position watch, daily commanding and deployment, summarized and commented on the drill in the Gulf of Aden on December 12, 2014, marking a closure of the Sino-US maritime joint anti-piracy drill. Captain Staff, commander of the destroyer formation of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson taskforce of the United States Navy, and other five people took a boat and boarded the guided missile frigate "Yuncheng" of the Chinese Navy on the same day.

While making summary and comments, both sides had in-depth discussion about the current escort situation in the Gulf of Aden, and reached a consensus on such aspects as joint escort, anti-piracy cooperation and exchanges, safeguarding and responding to common maritime challenges by the Chinese and American navies.

Captain Staff and his entourage also visited the Chinese warship "Yuncheng".

This is the third time for the Chinese naval escort taskforce to conduct the maritime joint anti-piracy drill with the United States warship since it performed escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somali coast.

Rear Admiral Zhang Chuanshu, commander of the Chinese naval escort taskforce and deputy chief of staff of the South China Sea Fleet under the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), pointed out this joint drill had closely targeted the needs of escort mission and anti-piracy struggle, and fully covered the actual combat subjects throughout the process, which has further manifested major countries' assumption of responsibility and their determination and confidence in building a harmonious ocean, and demonstrated the capability of the two navies to respond to common maritime challenges, and improve and safeguard regional security and stability.

This drill lasted for two days. Chinese participating forces included guided missile frigate "Yuncheng", comprehensive supply ship "Chaohu Lake", one helicopter and some special operation soldiers, while the American participating forces included guided missile destroyer "Sterlite", one helicopter and some special operation soldiers.

Both sides conducted the drill of nine subjects successively within 16 hours, including maritime unplanned encounter, helicopter landing on each other's ship, taskforce movement, artillery firing at sea, joint onboard inspection and seizure, and rescuing hijacked merchant ship by force.