United States Marines conducted a live-fire military exercise in the South China Sea, one of the most disputed regions in the world.
According to a report by UK Defence Journal, personnel from Landing Team 3/5, part of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (11th MEU), took part in a shipboard defense training exercise aboard the amphibious transport dock USS Portland.
During the activity, held on June 12, the Marines fired at a simulated target as part of an exercise designed to train the protection of an amphibious task force in a combat environment. The goal was to test the close-range defensive capabilities of ships tasked with transporting troops into potentially hostile areas.
The 11th MEU is currently deployed with the amphibious ready group led by the USS Boxer. According to the U.S. military, the formation serves as a rapid-response and deterrence force within the U.S. Seventh Fleet’s area of operations, the largest forward-deployed fleet in the U.S. Navy, responsible for frequent patrols and operations throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
The exercise comes amid ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, a region claimed in whole or in part by several countries and frequently the scene of military operations, naval patrols, and demonstrations of force by the region’s major powers.
Photos: DVIDS. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
