U.S. Navy and Bangladesh Navy open CARAT Bangladesh 2026 with mine countermeasures ship USS Warrior and a P-8A

The U.S. Navy and the Bangladesh Navy opened the annual exercise CARAT Bangladesh 2026 with a ceremony in Chattogram on November 2, according to the U.S. Navy. CARAT stands for Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, and the series is designed to promote regional security cooperation, strengthen maritime partnerships and improve interoperability between the forces taking part.

Ships and aircraft taking part

The American contribution includes the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Warrior (MCM 10) and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from Commander, Task Force 72. Staff and personnel from U.S. 7th Fleet, Task Forces 72, 73, 76 and 77, the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific and the U.S. Coast Guard will also take part. A banner at the opening ceremony welcomed USS Warrior to Bangladesh for the period from November 1 to 6.

The Bangladesh Navy is fielding a frigate, a mine countermeasures vessel, a maritime patrol aircraft and special operations craft.

What the programme covers

The exercise has two phases. Ashore, personnel from both navies will hold subject matter expert exchanges in mine countermeasures, salvage diving, maritime domain awareness, gas-turbine repair and leadership development, together with relationship-building events that include a sports day. At sea in the Bay of Bengal, the second phase will focus on combined readiness, with live-fire gunnery, maritime domain awareness exercises and visit, board, search and seizure drills meant to strengthen maritime security operations.

Capt. Michael Steffens, deputy commodore of Task Force 77, called the exercise “a testament to the enduring partnership between the United States and Bangladesh”. He said it has strengthened the two navies’ ability to work together on shared maritime security challenges “for more than a decade”, and spoke of ensuring “a free and open Indo-Pacific”.

The U.S. Navy notes that Task Force 77 directs mine countermeasures assets that clear sea mines to keep commerce and the movement of U.S., allied and partner ships flowing, in peacetime and in conflict. The mine-clearance focus of this year’s shore phase fits that role. The U.S. Navy describes 7th Fleet as its largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, which routinely operates with allies and partners across the region.

A regular Indo-Pacific fixture

CARAT is one of several recurring U.S. Navy engagements with Indo-Pacific navies. The U.S. and Indian navies have also opened a separate bilateral drill, covered in our report on U.S. Navy and Indian Navy open Exercise Tiger Triumph 2026 in Visakhapatnam.