The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF, Kaijo Jieitai) training ship JS Kashima (TV-3508) and the Hatakaze class destroyer JS Shimakaze (DDG-172) conducted a goodwill exercise with the Colombian Navy (ARC, Armada de la República de Colombia) Almirante Padilla class frigates Arc Antioquia (FM-53) and ARC Caldas (FM-52) in the Caribbean Sea to promote mutual understanding. This Goodwill Exercise is the first time the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has exercised with Colombia Navy. Preventive measures against COVID-19 were implemented during the exercise.
JS Kashima (TV-3508) is a training ship of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Built to a unique design during the mid-1990s, Kashima is flagship of the JMSDF Training Fleet. The name Kashima comes from the famous Shinto Kashima Shrine in Ibaraki prefecture, located to the northeast of Tokyo. She is 143 metres (469 ft) long, with a beam of 18 metres (59 ft), and a draft of 4.6 metres (15 ft). Kashima has a full load displacement of 4,050 tons. She is powered by a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) system, which uses two Mitsubishi S16U-MTK diesel engines. The ship is armed with a single Otobreda 76 mm gun and two triple 324 mm torpedo tube sets.
JS Shimakaze (DDG-172) is the second ship of the Hatakaze-class guided missile destroyers built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Shimikaze was laid down on the 13 January 1985 in Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki. She was launched on 30 January 1987, and commissioned on 23 March 1988. Hatakaze destroyers operate the OYQ-4-1 type tactical control system. Its weapon systems include the Standard missile surface-to-air missile, anti-submarine rockets, the RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile, two Mark 15 20 mm CIWS gun mounts, two torpedo mounts in a triple tube configuration and two 5 inch/54 caliber Mark 42 rapid-fire guns.
The Almirante Padilla-class frigates is a series of frigates operated by the Colombian Navy. The ships were built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) at Kiel, West Germany. The frigates have undergone significant modification over their careers with the 2012 Orion Program Upgrade significantly modernising the vessels. The frigates were originally armed with eight MM 40 Exocet anti-ship missiles. The Almirante Padilla class were also armed with an OTO Melara 76-millimetre (3 in)/62 calibre Compact naval gun. For anti-submarine warfare, the vessels were equipped with six 324 mm (13 in) torpedo tubes
