WASHINGTON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Amphibious assault ship USS Boxer and French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle recently conducted a joint drill as they sailed through the Bay of Bengal, the U.S. Navy said Sunday.

French anti-submarine destroyer Latouche Treville, anti-submarine frigate Provence and underway replenishment tanker Marne joined the drill Friday, which included formation sailing, combined flight operations and personnel transfers, the statement said.

"Our sailors and marines benefited greatly from working with our French counterparts," said Captain Brad Arthur, commodore of the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group.

The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, while the French Navy carrier strike group deployment is the first in the Indo-Pacific region since 2002.