 The United States and six other nations kicked off a five-day naval exercise Monday aimed at combating piracy and other crimes in Southeast Asia's heavily trafficked waters. The Singapore-based Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training Exercise, or CCAT, comes as piracy appears to be increasing in the South China Sea, where trillions of dollars in global trade transit annually. The exercise includes more than 100 U.S. sailors and personnel from Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, with Bangladesh Navy officials observing. Participating officers will receive simulated reports of suspicious activity in the Straits of Singapore and Malacca, the Andaman Sea, and the South China Sea and must implement a response plan for execution during a field exercise. CCAT began as an anti-terrorism exercise in 2002, but has since expanded to include piracy, smuggling, and other illicit activity. For more information about CCAT 2015, visit navy.mil.