Pakistan’s naval exercise Aman 2017 begins in Karachi

The Pakistan Navy has kicked of its biannually-held multinational AMAN 2017 naval exercise in Karachi, Pakistan. 37 countries are participating in the international event.
Aman-17 is the sixth edition such exercise which Pakistan has been holding biannually since 2007. Previous exercises were held in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013, and 2016 respectively.

About AMAN 2017

• The theme of AMAN 2017 is “together for peace”. It is intended to devise procedures and techniques against conventional and non-conventional threats.
• The naval exercise aims at enhancing efforts to combating piracy and protecting international trade routes. It is divided into two phases viz. Harbor phase and Sea phase.
• Harbor phase will include ship visits, sports events, and a maritime security conference in which participants will present research papers, among other things.
• Sea phase will witness a variety of activities including Search & Rescue (SAR) Operations, gunnery drills, anti-piracy demonstrations, replenishment at Sea (RAS) and maritime counter-terrorism demonstrations.
• It involves ships, aircrafts, helicopters, Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD), Special Operations Forces (SOF), marine teams and observers from regional as well extra-regional navies.
• Nine countries Australia, China, Turkey, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, United States, Japan and Russia are participating with warships or aircraft. Turkey and Russia are participating for first time.
• US has sent four ships, China and Russia have sent three ships, while Australia, Indonesia, UK, Turkey and Sri Lanka have each dispatched one.
• Japan has sent two P-3C Orion aircraft, whereas the Maldives, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Russia have each dispatched Special Operations Forces detachments.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2017