230120-M-GH531-1022

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Jan. 20, 2023) U.S. Marines with Maritime Raid Platoon, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, pull up next to the Sri Lanka navy patrol ship SLNS Gajabahul (P626) during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training/Marine Exercise Sri Lanka 2023 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 20, 2023. CARAT/MAREX Sri Lanka is a bilateral exercise between Sri Lanka and the United States designed to promote regional security cooperation, practice humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and strengthen maritime understanding, partnerships, and interoperability. In its 28th year, the CARAT series is comprised of multinational exercises, designed to enhance U.S. and partner forces' abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kevin G. Rivas)