Foreign countries’ ships arrive in Karachi for naval exercise

KARACHI: Naval platforms of nine countries arrived in Karachi on Thursday to participate in Multinational Naval Exercise Aman 2017 to be organiased by the Pakistan Navy from February 10 to February 14.

Being held since 2007, this year’s is the fifth multinational exercise of Aman series. The navies of 37 countries are participating in the exercise, and nine of them -- Australia, China, Indonesia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, UK, US, Japan and Russia – have arrived with naval assets.

The detail of countries participating with naval assets is given below: US, USS AMELIA EARHART OILER, USCGS MAUI, USCGS AQUIDNEK and USS TYPHOON; China, HARBIN DDG 112, HANDAN FFG 575 and DONGPHINGU AO 960; Russia, SEVEROMORSK ASW ALTAY Tug Boat and DUBNA tanker; Sri Lanka, SLS SAMUDRA; Turkey, TCGGELIBOLU UK HMS DARING; Indonesia, KRI SULTAN ISKANDARMUDA; Australia, HMASARUNTA; and Japan, 02 x P3C ORION aircraft.

Upon arrival, the visiting ships were given a warm welcome by senior Pakistan Navy officials amid catchy tunes of national songs played by a PN band. Officials of the consulates of visiting countries were also present on the occasion.