BEIJING — The U.S. and French Navy conducted bilateral operations in the Philippine Sea on Tuesday to advance their interoperability “in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific”, the U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement on Thursday.
Vessels involved in the operations included U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey and the French Navy Aquitane-class frigate FS Bretagne, with the ships conducting formation sailing, combined communication, and simulated refueling at sea, according to the statement.
—Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Sonali Paul