GUAM -- The U.S. Navy and Republic of Singapore navies concluded Exercise Pacific Griffin 2019 at U.S. Naval Base Guam, Oct 10.

Pacific Griffin served as the most advanced naval training to date between the two nations during their longstanding maritime partnership.

Rear Adm. Joey Tynch, commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, who oversees security cooperation for the U.S. Navy in Southeast Asia, said the Pacific Griffin was a display of military excellence, regional commitment and friendship.

“I could not be more proud of the U.S. and Republic of Singapore navies," said Tynch. "We work together each and every day, but Pacific Griffin, over these two weeks, stands out as truly symbolic of how our two navies share goals and inspire each other to excellence."

This biennial exercise allows the two navies to advance the complexity of maritime training utilizing diverse naval platforms and operating areas.

This year's iteration ran from Sep. 27 through Oct. 10 and covered a broad range of naval operations, to include anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare, air defense, live-fire drills, and tactical ship maneuvers, aimed at enhancing combined proficiency at sea while strengthening relationships between the two navies.

Additionally, both navies successfully executed a sinking exercise (SINKEX) of former USS Ford (FFG 54), a decommissioned frigate, which provided them the opportunity to gain proficiency in tactics, targeting and live firing against a surface target at sea.

“Our planners have worked very closely with one another and established very strong working relationship, and more importantly trust between us,” said Republic of Singapore Navy Commander First Flotilla and Commanding Officer of 185 Squadron, Colonel Lim Yu Chuan. “Overall this exercise has allowed our navies, our officers and sailors, to build strong trust and friendship, and also interoperability between us."

Participating naval assets included the littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92), Los Angeles-class submarine USS Key West (SSN 722), Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6), and the Republic of Singapore multi-role stealth frigates RSS Formidable (FFS 68) and RSS Intrepid (FFS 69). Participating air assets included MH-60S helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 and 25, MH-60R helicopters from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35, maritime patrol aircraft from Patrol Squadrons (VP) 1, 5 and 47, and B-52s Stratofortress bombers from U.S. Air Forces' Expeditionary 69th Bomb Squadron.

The U.S. and Singapore work together on a number of initiatives and conduct regular personnel exchanges, routine participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises, such as SEACAT, RIMPAC, and the first ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise (AUMX), as well as combined operations such as multi-national counter-piracy.

As U.S. 7th Fleet's executive agent for theater security cooperation in South and Southeast Asia, Commander, Task Force 73 and Destroyer Squadron 7 conduct advanced planning, organize resources, and directly support the execution of CARAT and other engagements in the region.