US-ROK Conduct Maritime Exploration Training in East Sea

[Asia Economy Military Specialist Yang Nak-gyu] The navies of South Korea and the United States will conduct an anti-submarine maritime reconnaissance exercise (SHAREM) in the East Sea area starting from the 3rd. The purpose of this exercise is to measure, collect, and analyze maritime data related to submarine warfare, evaluate the performance and effectiveness of anti-submarine detection equipment and weapon systems, and enhance the readiness for anti-submarine warfare.

According to the Navy on the day, the four-day exercise conducted in the East Sea area will include testing the performance of equipment such as water temperature measurement devices, echo sounders, and SONAR (sound navigation and ranging). The exercise will not involve anti-submarine warfare drills conducted in a submarine-versus-submarine format.

The exercise is reported to involve five Korean surface ships including destroyers (DDH-II), three aircraft, two ocean survey vessels, and the U.S. Aegis destroyer USS Sampson (9,300 tons), along with one aircraft. The USS Sampson, belonging to the U.S. 7th Fleet, arrived at the Busan Naval Operations Base on the 29th of last month.

In the past, the exercise was conducted with the South Korean Navy participating in evaluations planned by the U.S. side, but since 2013, the navies of both countries have jointly carried out and analyzed related plans. It is known to be conducted every two years.