Royal Malaysian Navy begins bilateral exercise MTA Malaysia with US.

According to information published by US Navy on November 23, 2021, military personnel from Malaysia and the U.S. kicked off Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Malaysia 2021 virtually and in the waters and airspace of the Strait of Malacca.
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U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) into Lumut Naval Base near USS Montgomery (LCS 8) for a scheduled port visit as part of Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Malaysia 2019. (Picture source: US Navy)

The eight-day engagement focuses on the full spectrum of naval capabilities and features cooperative evolutions.

The at-sea phase will take place in the Strait of Malacca, where U.S. Navy assets will join with ships and aircraft from the Royal Malaysian Navy for partnered training focused on building interoperability and strengthening relationships.

U.S. Navy ships and aircraft include Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16), and embarked MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, and a P-8A Poseidon aircraft assigned to CTF 72.

The exercise will feature complex at-sea training to demonstrate the bilateral force’s ability to work together through numerous events including divisional tactics designed to enhance communication as ships sail together in complex maneuvers.

Other focus areas include surface warfare, mobile dive and salvage training, replenishment-at-sea, a gunnery exercise, and exchanges between explosive ordnance disposal technicians.

U.S. personnel include staff from CTF 72, CTF 73, CTF 75, CTF 76, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, U.S. 7th Fleet Band, and U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur.

Virtual subject matter expert exchange events will feature a variety of joint training opportunities, including dive/salvage training, aviation and information sharing, force protection, maritime domain awareness, and maritime law and law enforcement.

As the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer squadron in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the primary tactical and operational commander of littoral combat ships rotationally deployed to Singapore, functions as ESG 7’s Sea Combat Commander, and builds partnerships through training exercises and military-to-military engagements.

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21 (HSC-21) is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station North Island. HSC-21 is made up of five expeditionary detachments that deploy aboard ships including Combat Logistics Force support ships, Hospital Ships, and Amphibious Assault ships, among others.