U.S., Iraq, and Kuwait conduct joint maritime exercises in Arabian Gulf

Shafaq News/ Maritime forces from Iraq, Kuwait, and the United States completed a joint patrol in the Arabian Gulf. The Bahrain-based US Fifth Fleet said.

This is the second time the three nations have sailed together in four months to promote regional maritime security.

U.S. Navy mine countermeasures ship USS Dextrous (MCM 13) operated with ships from the Iraq Navy and Kuwait Coast Guard. The vessels conducted maneuvering and maritime security drills.

“Partnerships are at the foundation of maritime security and stability in the Middle East,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces. “Our continued collaboration reflects our collective commitment to safeguarding regional waters.”

The three countries previously conducted a similar patrol in the Arabian Gulf on Aug. 25. U.S. Navy patrol coastal ship USS Sirocco (P.C. 6) and U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141) participated.

Dextrous is an Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship designed to clear mines from vital waterways. The ship is forward-deployed to Bahrain, where U.S. 5th Fleet is headquartered.

U.S. 5th Fleet’s operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb, and Suez Canal.