TIMOR SEA (NNS) -- The George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG) participated in a multi-unit anti-submarine warfare exercise (ASWEX) as part of Talisman Sabre 2015 (TS15), July 7-8.

During the exercise the strike group executed ASW search and tracking tactics against live submarine targets.

"The ultimate goal of the exercise is to train our units to plan for and execute an ASW plan in defense of George Washington from a submarine threat," said Lt. James Petersen, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 submarine operations officer. "These exercises allow us to ensure combat-readiness in our area of responsibility."

Petersen added that the ASW exercise is a building block toward acquiring the ability to seamlessly integrate common initiatives to promote security and stability.

"Not only will we improve our individual tactical proficiency through the exercise, we will also gain an increased understanding of how each of us achieves success in difficult tactical situations through the particular skills each ally brings to the table," said Petersen.

Participants from the GWCSG included the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, DESRON 15, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Chafee (DDG 90), USS Mustin (DDG 89) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62).

According to Petersen, the exercise gave both nations an opportunity to flex their capabilities while improving their ability to work bilaterally in providing security in the region and around the world.

TS15 is a biennial land, sea and air military training exercise between U.S. and Australian forces that features more than 33,000 personnel, 21 ships, 200 aircraft and three submarines, which increases U.S.-Australian interoperability to respond to a wide variety of contingencies and maintain security, peace, and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.