"Focused on anti-submarine warfare, a US Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft from the "War Eagles" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 will participate in the drills", the release said Tuesday.
The United Kingdom will provide two frigates, and Japan will send a destroyer, maritime patrol aircraft and a submarine to join the US 7th Fleet for the second exercise of its type, the release said. The initial trilateral anti-submarine drill was held in December 2018, according to the release.
READ MORE: Admiral Accuses Beijing of Militarising S China Sea After US Naval Encroachment
"The Royal Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, and United States Navy all support a free and open Indo-Pacific”, said Capt. Brian Erickson, commander, Task Force Seven Two (CTF 72). “Exercises like this demonstrate our nation's resolve in the region, while improving interoperability, maintaining readiness, and learning best practices from one another”, the release said.
According to Davidson, Chinese President Xi Jinping had not kept a 2015 promise, made in a White House ceremony with former President Barack Obama, not to militarize the South China Sea, adding that Beijing has since populated a series of islands, some artificially created, in the South China Sea with anti-ship cruise missiles, surface to air missiles and electronic jammers.
READ MORE: Senior US Navy Adviser Suggests Rulebook With China to Avoid Close Calls at Sea
According to media reports, the United States frequently sends warships, sometimes with partner nations, through the waterway in what Washington calls freedom of navigation exercises.
