Military leaders from Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and United States joined in Manila to further grow the cooperation that exists between the four nations, August 26-27.
Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Vice Adm. Karl Thomas met with Australian Defence Force Chief of Joint Operations Lt. Gen. Greg Bilton; Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Commander-in-Chief Self-Defense Fleet Vice Adm. SAITO Akira; Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci; Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Renato David; Naval Air Wing Commander of the Philippine Navy Commodore Juario Marayag; and Commander of the Philippine Air Force’s Tactical Operations Wing West Brig. Gen. Erick Quijada Escarcha.
The meeting coincides with port visits by three of the partner navies to Manila: the landing helicopter dock ship HMAS Canberra (L02); the helicopter-carrying destroyer JS Izumo (DDH-183); and the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6).