DAMMAM —A Saudi-US naval exercised kicked off on Thursday at the King Abdulaziz Naval Base (KANB) at the Eastern Fleet in Jubail, with the participation of the British minesweeper, in the presence of Commander of the Eastern Fleet Vice Admiral Majed bin Hazza Al-Qahtani. The mixed maritime exercise "Marine Defender 21" with the Saudi Royal Navy and its US counterpart aims to raise the combat readiness. The exercise includes assessing maritime security measures in the region and unifying concepts of naval combat work. The exercises are an extension of a series of previous joint exercises and training between the two countries. Speaking on the occasion, the director of the exercise Rear Admiral Awwad bin Rashid Al-Enezi said that the exercise aims to enhance maritime security, protect territorial waters, coasts and ports. It also aims to enhance military cooperation and exchange of combat experiences between the Royal Saudi Navy and US and British navies, adding that the exercise includes many lectures and training courses given by the participants.