For the first time, eight warships, four aircraft and more than 1,000 personnel from the United States and 10 Southeast Asian countries will join for the ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX).
The 5-day exercise starts at Sattahip Naval Base, Thailand and ends in Singapore.
Context: This exercise comes at a time of heightened tension over South China Sea between China and South East Asian Countries (Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines).