US Navy, 35+ partners kick off IMX 2025 in Middle East

The Middle East region’s largest maritime exercise, International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 2025, kicked off in two locations, Bahrain and Jordan, on February 10.

IMX25 is a 12-day naval training event hosted by the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT). This year’s iteration of IMX is linked with the exercise Cutlass Express.

Cutlass Express, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, is an annually scheduled exercise designed to enhance regional maritime awareness and the combined capabilities of partner nations to respond to maritime threats.

The exercises are linked through information sharing between maritime operations centers to strengthen theater-to-theater coordination, reducing regional seams and strengthening U.S. and partner nation capabilities and interoperability.

More than 5,000 personnel from more than 35 nations and international organizations will take part in both exercises.

The operational phase will include partner exchanges on mine and countermeasures; visit, board, search and seizure; unmanned systems and artificial intelligence integration; explosive ordnance disposal; vessel defense; search and rescue; and mass casualty response, among other focus areas.

This is the ninth iteration of IMX since its establishment in 2012.

“Exercises like IMX show that we are at our best when we work together and that our resolve is unwavering,” said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Jeff Jurgemeyer, NAVCENT vice commander, during his remarks at the opening ceremony.

“The Middle East region is a critical crossroads for worldwide commerce and trade. IMX is our combined assurance that the potential for economic success is greatest when international waterways are safe and open for all.”

The US Navy, together with Australia, Japan, and the Philippines, recently conducted a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. Participating units included the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 47.

The Royal Australian Navy Hobart-class air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart (DDG 39), an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, the Philippine Navy Jose Rizal-class guided-missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF 150), and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Akizuki-class destroyer JS Akizuki (DD 115) and an SH-60K helicopter also participated in the exercise.