HMCS Summerside Joins TRADEWINDS 14

Another Royal Canadian Navy unit has joined the Canadian Armed Forces’ contribution to the multinational exercise TRADEWINDS 14.

HMCS Summerside joins members of Fleet Diving Unit (FDU) Atlantic who have been providing support to the training exercise since early June. HMCS Summerside was in the Caribbean region completing a successful patrol as part of Operation CARIBBE.

“The ship’s company and I are excited to participate in Exercise TRADEWINDS 14. We are eager to share our skillsets with our partners, and look forward to conducting joint exercises with them to enhance regional maritime security,” said Lieutenant-Commander Jason Karle, Commanding Officer HMCS Summerside.

The United States South Command-sponsored training exercise is a first for HMCS Summerside and FDU (Atlantic). The exercise focuses on improving cooperation and security in order to effectively conduct humanitarian crisis and disaster contingencies, combined land and maritime security operations, and operations to counter illicit trafficking in the region.

“Being involved in a multinational training exercise such as TRADEWINDS 14 provides our members with a unique opportunity to work with other navies on a variety of operations. By working through these exercises we strengthen our cooperation with our allies in addition to continually developing as leaders in the field of maritime security,” commented Lieutenant-Commander Stephan Julien, Commanding Officer FDU (Atlantic).

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Press Release, June 19, 2014; Image: Canadian Navy