Details: Kenya Navy Takes Part In High-Level Military Drills With India, Tanzania

The key event aimed to strengthen regional maritime security and promote cooperation among nations

Viral Tea Ke Writer Viral Tea Ke Writer
Apr 19, 2025 - 13:08 Updated: Apr 19, 2025 - 13:12
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Details: Kenya Navy Takes Part In High-Level Military Drills With India, Tanzania
A photo of two naval ships on the Indian Ocean on Friday, April 18, 2025. /KENYA DEFENCE FORCES

The Kenya Navy has announced the successful conclusion of the Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) 2025 exercise, which took place on Friday, April 18, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

According to a statement from KDF, the key event aimed to strengthen regional maritime security and promote cooperation among nations. It featured a range of complex drills and operations involving various participating navies.

Significant activities included Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations, which enhanced the teams’ capabilities in counter-piracy and maritime interdiction.

VBSS is a military and law enforcement tactic used by naval forces to intercept and inspect vessels at sea. The operation begins by making contact with the vessel (Visit), then moves to physically getting on board (Board).

A photo of military officials drawn from the Kenya Navy, Tanzanian Naval Command and the India Navy Service on Friday, April 18, 2025. /KENYA DEFENCE FORCES

Once aboard, the team checks for any illegal activity (Search), and if anything suspicious is found, they secure the vessel and detain those involved (Seizure).

Additionally, Replenishment at Sea (RAS) drills were carried out, showcasing effective logistical coordination and smooth collaboration between vessels. RAS drills are naval exercises that involve transferring fuel, supplies, ammo, and sometimes personnel between ships while they're still moving at sea—there is no need to return to port. These operations are essential for keeping fleets mission-ready during long deployments.

In a standard RAS drill, ships cruise side by side in tight formation while using specialised gear, like fuel lines or cargo rigs, to move materials from one vessel to another. There are two main methods: Connected Replenishment (CONREP), where ships are physically connected using cables and hoses, and Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP), which uses helicopters to lift and drop cargo between ships.

Ship manoeuvres also highlighted the tactical skills and readiness of the navies to respond to real-world maritime challenges. These are the organised movements and positioning of naval ships during missions, drills, or while in transit. They're vital for maintaining tactical advantage, ensuring safety, and keeping formation, especially in high-stress situations like combat, joint fleet ops, or navigating tight waterways.

Some key types include formation manoeuvres, where ships stick to set patterns (like line ahead or wedge) for strategic positioning; tactical turns, used to quickly shift direction in response to potential threats; and station keeping, which means holding a fixed spot relative to other vessels during tasks like Replenishment at Sea.

There are also emergency maneuvers like zig-zags or sharp turns to avoid collisions or enemy fire, and Man Overboard (MOB) drills, which use precise turn techniques to recover someone who’s fallen overboard. These manoeuvres demand tight coordination and expert navigation.

Approaches to Towing (APTOW) drills were also conducted, focusing on maritime towing operations and ensuring that participating ships are capable of providing assistance during operational challenges. These drills prepare crews to safely and efficiently attach a tow line between ships, usually when one vessel is stranded or experiencing issues. They mimic real-life situations where a ship needs to be towed because of engine failure, combat damage, or running out of fuel.

The exercise starts with the approach phase, where the towing ship manoeuvres into position—either alongside or ahead of the disabled vessel—while maintaining a steady speed and safe distance. Crews then carry out the line transfer, using tools like messenger lines, heaving lines, or small boats to pass the towline across. Once the connection is secure, both ships sync up their speed and direction to keep the tow smooth and controlled.

Towing approach drills demand accurate ship manoeuvring, clear communication, and solid awareness of sea conditions to prevent issues like snapped lines, collisions, or capsizing. These exercises are key for preparing crews to handle fleet support and emergency towing operations effectively.

In the statement, Kenya Navy Ships (KNS) JASIRI and KNS SHUPAVU, along with the Special Boats Unit (SBU), played pivotal roles throughout the exercise. Further, the event highlighted operational excellence and reinforced the collective commitment to safeguarding maritime security in the Indian Ocean.

"Commanding Officers from the Indian, Kenyan, and Tanzanian ships commended the professionalism and dedication of all participants, emphasising that exercises like AIKEYME 2025 are critical in building regional partnerships and enhancing maritime stability. The successful completion of the exercise underscores the importance of continued collaboration in addressing maritime security challenges," the statement read in part.

The recent five-day AIKEYME exercise is part of a larger defence cooperation pact that Kenya entered into with India back in July 2016.

As a major step toward strengthening maritime security in the Indian Ocean, AIKEYME brings together the naval forces of Kenya, India, and Tanzania in a unified show of regional collaboration.

A photo of military officials drawn from the Kenya Navy, Tanzanian Naval Command and the India Navy Service on Friday, April 18, 2025. /KENYA DEFENCE FORCES

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