Canadian ships HMCS Kingston and Glace Bay have joined HMC ships Nanaimo and Whitehorse and a CP-140 Aurora aircraft detachment on Operation CARIBBE, Canada’s contribution to the multinational campaign against illicit trafficking in the Americas and Caribbean.
The concurrent deployment of four ships and an aircraft detachment marks a first in Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) history in support to Operation CARIBBE, Canada’s support to Operation MARTILLO – the multinational, joint, combined, and interagency effort among Western Hemisphere and European nations.
“Canadian Armed Forces ships and aircraft will continue to work with regional partner nations throughout 2014 to combat transnational criminal organizations from using waterways to smuggle illicit cargo. The success of Operation CARIBBE continues to benefit relations and enhance cooperation with our allies and partners in the Central American region,” said Lieutenant-General Stuart Beare, Commander, Canadian Joint Operations Command.
HMC Ships Nanaimo, Whitehorse, Kingston and Glace Bay are Kingston-class vessels, designed for surveillance and patrolling of coastal waters.
As part of Operation CARIBBE 2013, the CAF contributed four CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft, four Kingston-class vessels (HMC Ships Edmonton, Kingston, Summerside and Yellowknife), two Halifax-class frigates (HMC Ships Ottawa and Ville de Québec), one supply vessel (HMCS Preserver), and one Victoria-class submarine (HMCS Victoria) to combat transnational crime, resulting in the seizure or disruption of more than 5 000 kilograms of cocaine.
As part of Operation CARIBBE 2014, the Royal Canadian Navy will periodically deploy warships from both the East and West Coasts, while the Royal Canadian Air Force will provide CP-140 Aurora aircraft from various long-range patrol squadrons, all in support of Operation MARTILLO. One CP-140 Aurora aircraft has already contributed to Operation CARIBBE 2014, completing a deployment this past January.
[mappress] Press Release, March 12, 2014, Image: Wikimedia