230123-M-GH531-1452

GULF OF MANNAR (Jan. 23, 2023) – U.S. Marines with Maritime Raid Force, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepare to hoist a simulated casualty off the flight deck of SLNS Gajabahu (P626) during a vessel, board, search, and seizure exercise for Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training/Marine Exercise Sri Lanka 2023, Jan. 23. 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)