Naval forces from Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico and the United States commenced Unitas Atlantic 2015, an annual multinational exercise in Rio Grande, Brazil, November 13.
Personnel from Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and Senegal will also participate in the exercise.
This year’s exercise is hosted by the Brazilian Navy and will include multiple warships, aircraft and submarines that will conduct operations in the Atlantic. The Unitas Atlantic commander is Rear Adm. Newton Calvoso Pinto Homem, Brazilian Navy.
Forces from the United States include USS George Washington (CVN 73), Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, USS Chafee (DDG 90), USNS Bighorn(T-AO-198) and USS McFaul (DDG 74), Patrol Squadron (VP) 8, VP-9, VP-62, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 plane, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23 and U.S. Navy Reserve Augmentees will also participate in UNITAS.
The overall objectives of the training focus on promoting tactical interoperability and promoting friendship, professionalism and mutual understanding among the participating partner nations, while increasing theater security cooperation in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Unitas began in 1960. It is the U.S. Navy’s longest running annual multinational maritime exercise.
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet employ maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations in order to enhance interoperability, build enduring partnerships that foster regional security, and maintain access in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility (AOR).
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Image: US Navy