The 7th Fleet said that the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is conducting routine bilateral operations.

“Bilateral operations like this one reassure our allies and partners of the U.S. commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” the 7th Fleet tweeted.

“During bilateral exercises between Abraham Lincoln CSG and JMSDF, the two navies strengthen all-domain awareness and maneuvers across a distributed maritime environment,” it added.

The joint drill comes at a time of increased concern about North Korean missile tests and possible nuclear tests. (ILKHA)