INDIAN OCEAN (June 27, 2021) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, assigned to the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), conducts a vertical replenishment exercise with Sri Lanka Navy Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Gajabahu (P-626), center, and SLNS Sayurala (P-623), as a part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Sri Lanka, June 27, 2021. In its 27th year, the CARAT series is comprised of multinational exercises, designed to enhance U.S. and partner navies’ abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. (Sri Lanka Navy Media courtesy photo)