U.S., Japan, Republic of Korea Conduct Trilateral Ballistic Missile Defense Exercise

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force guided-missile destroyer JS Atago (DDG 177) and Republic of Korea Navy Sejong the Great-class destroyer ROKS YulGok Yi I (DDG 992) steam alongside the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) during a trilateral maritime exercise focused on ballistic missile defense integration and shipboard maneuvers. Benfold is underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations as part of Destroyer Squadron 15. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy‘s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Alexis Pelletier)