U.S. and Japanese warships deployed in the Strait of Malacca.

On May 18, 2019, the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), along with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Izumo-class helicopter destroyer JS Izumo (DDH 183) and Murasame-class destroyer JS Murasame (DD 101) conducted joint operations in the Strait of Malacca.

The JMSDF helicopter destroyer JS Izumo (DDH 183) docked at the Changi Naval Base during IMDEX 2019, Singapore (Picture Source: Navy Recognition)

These ships were all participating in the International Maritime Defense Exposition (IMDEX) 2019 in Singapore the previous week. They were docked at the Changi Naval Base, being part of the warship display.

During this deployment in the Malacca Strait, the U.S. Navy vessel and the JMSDF warships participated in communication drills, working together to increase their efficiency and interoperability while being at sea.

"By operating, training, and exchanging with the JMSDF we are building upon our interoperability and our vital alliance,” said Cmdr. Andrew Klug, commanding officer, USS William P. Lawrence. “Seamless coordination between regional allies deters aggression and promotes regional peace, stability and prosperity.”