Three hundred kilometres southeast of Chennai, the deck of the US super carrier Theodore Roosevelt is abuzz with activity. Six F/A-18 Super Hornet jets catapult off the deck of the ship, three helicopters fly in formation nearby and four warships from India, the US and Japan sail past the American carrier. It's all a part of this year's Malabar Exercises, the most complex naval engagement ever between India, the United States and Japan, exercises which feature submarines, guided missile cruisers and almost brand new destroyers and frigates packing some of the most advanced Naval war fighting systems available.