Vietnam warship, Japanese helicopter carrier conduct joint drills

The exercise took place on Nov. 7 off Cam Ranh Port in the central Khanh Hoa Province "to improve tactical skills and strengthen mutual understanding, as well as friendly relations with the Vietnamese navy," the Japanese Ministry of Defense stated Monday.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force said it would continue to strengthen defense cooperation with countries in the region, contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Helicopter carrier JS Kaga and destroyer JS Murasame docked at Cam Ranh on Nov. 5 for a two-day visit to Vietnam.

The two navies, however, have not organized direct exchange to ensure the prevention of Covid-19.

The Vietnam People’s Navy newspaper stated the training session between the two navies mostly focused on fleet formation and communication.

With a length of 248 meters and displacement of 27,000 tons, JS Kaga is capable of carrying 14 helicopters.

JS Murasame is a multi-purpose destroyer commissioned into service in 1996. The ship is 151 meters long and has a displacement of 6,100 tons. Its main armament includes eight Type-90 anti-ship missiles, 16 RIM-162 ESSM medium-range air defense missiles and six Type-68 torpedo tubes.