BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS 36)

Republic of the Philippines Navy ship BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS 36) steams in formation during exercise Balikatan 2010 (BK 10). Essex, commanded by Capt. Troy Hart, is part of the forward-deployed Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is participating in BK 10, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Republic of the Philippines. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released)

BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS 36)

A visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team from the Philippine Navy makes its way to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) from the corvette Apolinario Mabini (PS 36) to carry out a boarding exercise. The boarding was a part of Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism (SEACAT) 2006, a week long at-sea exercise designed to highlight the value of information sharing and multi-national coordination within a scenario that gives participating navies practical maritime interception training opportunities. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Photographer's Mate 2nd Class John L. Beeman)

USS Tortuga (LSD 46)

The amphibious transport dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) cruises off the coast of Caribbean island of Curacao, during operations in support of exercise "Relieve Discomfort". Training is aimed at improving Standing Naval Forces, Atlantic's (SNFL) operational capability to undertake humanitarian aid and disaster relief. Other countries participating during the exercise were the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark Spain, the United Kingdom, and Canada. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Photographer's Mate 1st Class Martin Maddock)