With USS Nimitz, INS Vikramaditya, 2nd phase of power packed Malabar exercise to kick off

New Delhi, Nov 16: The second phase of the power packed Malabar naval exercise by India, US and Australia will kickoff tomorrow.

The naval exercise will take place with two aircraft carrier battle groups and other warships in the Arabian Sea starting tomorrow. India will be deploying its 44,500 tonne INS Vikramaditya with the MiG-29K fighter jets. The US will be fielding its 100,000 tonne nuclear powered USS Nimitz carrier for the four day Phase-II of the malabar exercise.

Navy spokesperson, Vivek Madhwal said that it will witness joint operations centred around INS Vikramaditya and the USS Nimitz carrier battle, strike groups. The two carriers along with the other ships and aircraft of the participating navies will engage in high intensity naval operations over four days.

"The exercises will include cross-deck flying operations and advanced air defence exercises by MiG-29K fighters of INS Vikramaditya and F/A-18 fighters and E-2C Hawkeye early-warning aircraft from USS Nimitz, the spokesperson also said.

Advanced surface and anti submarine warfare exercises, seamanship evolutions and weapon firings will also be undertaken to further interoperability and synergy between the four friendly navies, he said.

The USS Nimitz will be accompanied by cruiser USS Princeton and destroyer USS Sterett in addition to the P8-A Maritime patrol aircraft. The exercise would also include the Australian Frigate HMAS Ballarat and a Japanese warship.

The exercise would be a show of strength and would also send across a strong message to China. India's national security planners say that the presence of the USS Nimitz and INS Vikramaditya reflects the determination to send a strong message to the People's Liberation Army.