INDIAN OCEAN (April 6, 2021) The amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) conducts formation maneuvers with the Indian navy IN Kiltan (P 30), in the foreground, and the French navy FS Surcouf (F 711) during La Perouse 2021. La Perouse consists of naval assets from Australia, France, India, Japan and the United States. La Perouse is an exercise conducted during the annual French Navy midshipman deployment called Mission Jeanne d'Arc. The exercise is designed to conduct training, enhance cooperation in maritime surveillance, maritime interdiction operations, and air operations. As the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet, 7th Fleet employs 50-70 ships and submarines across the Western Pacific and Indian oceans. U.S. 7th Fleet routinely operates and interacts with 35 maritime nations while conducting missions to preserve and protect a free and open Indo-Pacific Region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Heath Zeigler)