SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Naval ships, aircraft and personnel from India, Japan and the United States are scheduled to participate in the annual exercise Malabar 2016, June 9-17.

Malabar 2016 is the latest in a continuing series of complex, high-end warfighting exercises conducted to advance multinational maritime relationships and mutual security issues.

Participants from the U.S. Navy include Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) with embarked Carrier Air Wing 9, guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) and guided-missile destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106), USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) and USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93); a P-8A Poseidon aircraft; and a Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine.

The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training. While ashore in Sasebo, training will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.

The at-sea portions of the exercise will be conducted in the Philippine Sea and are designed to advance participating nations' military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.

Events planned during the at-sea portions include liaison officer professional exchanges and embarks, a photo exercise, submarine familiarization, high-value unit defense, air defense exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface warfare exercises, communications exercises, search and rescue exercises, helicopter cross-deck evolutions, underway replenishments, gunnery exercises, VBSS exercises, and anti-submarine warfare.

Indian, Japanese and U.S. maritime forces have a common understanding and knowledge of a shared working environment at sea. Each iteration of this exercise helps to advance the level of understanding between the navies' Sailors, and is a continuing process over time. Members of the Indo-Asia-Pacific nations utilize their maritime forces as natural partners, and continue to strengthen relationships.

For a list of participating Indian forces, please refer to the Indian Navy Headquarters. For a list of participating Japanese forces, please refer to the Japan Maritime Staff Office.

For information regarding U.S. Navy participation, contact Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Higgins at USS John C. Stennis Public Affairs, by e-mail: pao@cvn74.navy.mil.