Philippine Navy, US Navy begin Sama Sama 2024

SAMA SAMA 2024. Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF 73) (left) poses for a photo with Rear Adm. Jose Ma Ambrosio Q. Ezpeleta, Vice Commander, Philippine Navy, (middle) and Commodore Edward Ike Morada De Sagon, Commander, Naval Forces Northern Luzon (right) at the opening ceremony of Exercise Sama Sama, on Naval Operating Base-Subic, Subic, Zambales, Oct. 7. Sama Sama is a bilateral exercise hosted by the Philippians and the United States, with participants from Australia, Canada, France, and Japan, designed to promote regional security cooperation, maintain and strengthen maritime partnerships, and enhance maritime interoperability.
SAMA SAMA 2024. Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF 73) (left) poses for a photo with Rear Adm. Jose Ma Ambrosio Q. Ezpeleta, Vice Commander, Philippine Navy, (middle) and Commodore Edward Ike Morada De Sagon, Commander, Naval Forces Northern Luzon (right) at the opening ceremony of Exercise Sama Sama, on Naval Operating Base-Subic, Subic, Zambales, Oct. 7. Sama Sama is a bilateral exercise hosted by the Philippians and the United States, with participants from Australia, Canada, France, and Japan, designed to promote regional security cooperation, maintain and strengthen maritime partnerships, and enhance maritime interoperability.U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Hannah Fry
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SUBIC BAY – The U.S. Navy, ​U.S. ​Marine Corps, Armed Forces of the Philippines​, and allied forces commenced the eighth iteration of Exercise Sama Sama in the vicinity of Subic Bay, the ​Republic of the ​Philippines, marking the beginning of two weeks of maritime engagements designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen security ties among regional partners, Oct. 7.

​​Sama Sama 2024, part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat) series, builds on the legacy of ​previous maritime ​collaboration​,​ ​expanding its​ scope of operations​ with​​ both shore and sea phases​.​ ​Participants ​will be trained in specialized disciplines, including medicine, legal operations, engineering, logistics, and public affairs. ​

“This exercise has evolved significantly since its inception. What began as a bilateral event between the United States and the Philippines has grown into a multilateral and multiplatform operation, bringing together like-minded partners from across the Indo-Pacific,” said the U.S. Head of Delegation, Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, Commander Logistics Western Pacific, and Task Force 73. “This development highlights the strength of our alliances and our shared commitment to peace, security, and cooperation in the maritime domain and it’s never been more important.”

​​Working alongside naval vessels and maritime surveillance aircraft, ​​​​specialized teams​, including ​diving and explosive ordnance disposal units​,​​ ​will conduct high-intensity drills focusing on anti-submarine warfare​, ​anti-surface warfare​, ​anti-air warfare​, and maritime domain awareness.

“Sama Sama”​,​ which means “togetherness​” ​in Tagalog, reflects ​​the spirit of the decades-long partnership between allies in the region. Sama Sama 2024, a Philippine-U.S. bilateral exercise with invited allied and partner participants, continues evolving in complexity and scope into a more sophisticated and multinational environment with each iteration.

This year​’s​ ​exercise includes participants from ​Australia, Japan, Canada, France​, and​ Japan, representing a collective ​commitment ​to stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Today we witness the deepening of ties between the Philippine Navy and the U.S. Navy along with our partners from Australia, Canada, France, United Kingdom, and Japan,” said the Philippine Navy Head of Delegation, Rear Adm. Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, Vice Commander of the Philippine Navy. “This exercise is a powerful investment for our collective movement and an opportunity to address regional challenges together.”

​​Participating assets​ from the United States​ include the​ Navy’s​ Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83), and a P-8A Poseidon ​maritime surveillance aircraft​.​ ​P​​personnel from ​the U.S. 7th Fleet​;​ Command Task Forces (CTF) 76, 75, and 72​;​ Command, Destroyer Squadron Seven (Desron 7)​;​ and the Marine Corps’ ​​Marine Rotational Force​ – Southeast Asia​ (MRF-SEA)​​,​​ are also taking part in Sama Sama 2024​.​

“Through exercises like Sama Sama, we continue to improve our interoperability and our readiness while deepening our understanding of each other’s capabilities. This exercise reflects our enduring partnership—one built on trust, shared values, and mutual defense,” said Cimicata. “Together, we will refine our ability to respond to natural disasters, maritime threats, and humanitarian crises, while ensuring the safety and security of this vital region.

This year marks the 30th iteration of Carat, a multinational exercise series designed to enhance U.S. and partner navies' abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

As the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed Desron in Southeast Asia, Desron 7 is the primary tactical and operational commander of littoral combat ships rotationally deployed to Singapore​. Desron 7 also​​ functions as ​the ​​​CTF ​​76 Sea Combat

​​​Commander and​ builds partnerships through training exercises and military-to-military engagements as the executing agent of Commander, Task Group Carat.

​​U.S. ​7th Fleet is the​ ​Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. PR

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