EAST CHINA SEA (Nov. 16, 2012)Twenty-six ships from the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, including ships from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, transit together at the conclusion of exercise Keen Sword 2013. Keen Sword 2013 is a biannual exercise held to enable the United States and Japan to train in coordination procedures and heighten interoperability needed to effectively defend or respond to a crisis in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. Navy is constantly deployed to preserve peace, protect commerce, and deter aggression through forward presence. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jennifer A. Villalovos