US, Iraq, Kuwait Conduct First Trilateral War Games in Persian Gulf Since 2011

The US, Iraqi and Kuwaiti militaries conducted a trilateral exercise in the northern Persian Gulf, the first of its kind since 2011, the US Navy said in a press release on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The exercise involved 11 ships and US Navy guided-missile destroyer Mahan, and included defensive navigation tactics, gunnery training, ship boarding and search-and-rescue.

"The trilateral exercise concept was driven by the desire of the three partner nations to cooperatively address threats that exist in the [Persian] Gulf," the release stated.

A new trilateral format will replace separate US-Iraq and US-Kuwait bilateral monthly exercises and be conducted quarterly, the Navy explained.

The exercises are driven by the three nations’ desire to cooperatively address threats that exist in the Persian Gulf.