The Mexican long-range ocean patrol ship, ARM Benito Juarez, participated in the RIMPAC 24 exercise in Hawaii this year. The Benito Juarez sailed to Chile in August 2024 to take part in the UNITAS exercise. PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS COURTNEY STRAHAN/U.S. NAVY
THE WATCH STAFF
A Mexican naval task force set sail in August 2024 on a long-range ocean patrol vessel from Manzanillo en route to the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)-led UNITAS exercise in Chile. The Mexican Navy Task Force “UNITAS-SOLIDAREX 2024” traveled aboard the ARM Benito Juarez, accompanied by a Panther multipurpose helicopter. The September 2-12 exercise has been held annually since 1959 and this year included 24 nations and 4,300 participants. Mexico has participated nearly every year since 2001 to strengthen interoperability and demonstrate control of coastlines “in the face of global threats, through combined naval and amphibious operations training,” according to a news release from the Mexican Navy (SEMAR).
The Benito Juarez, with a crew of 124, traveled to Valparaìso, Chile, arriving in time for the opening ceremony on September 3 aboard the Chilean Navy’s Sargento Aldea, an amphibious dock landing ship. “The combined exercises that naval personnel will carry out with foreign armed forces will be carried out in sea, air and land theaters of operations, where practices and training will be carried out focused on maintaining the rule of law and operations aimed at providing regional stability and security,” the release stated.
The operation occurred in the Atlantic and Pacific waters around Central and South America to enhance security cooperation and improve coalition operations. UNITAS, which features 17 vessels, two submarines, 20 aircraft and participation from 24 partner nations, conducted operations off the coast of Valparaìso and ashore in the vicinity of Puerto Aldea, according to SOUTHCOM.
Rear Adm. Rich Lofgren, deputy commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet, said the opportunities to build relationships ashore — including subject matter exchanges, operations briefs and a Women, Peace, and Security symposium — will pay dividends during the at-sea phase of the exercise and beyond.
“Sailors go to sea,” Lofgren said in a U.S. Navy news release. “I look forward with great excitement to joining you at sea, as we conduct combined and joint operations. We will enhance our capabilities and improve our interoperability in these maritime events — together. Make no mistake, all of us will work hard the next 12 days. But we will communicate effectively — together. We will operate effectively — together. And we will overcome obstacles — together.”
The 65th iteration of UNITAS brought about two dozen partner militaries together including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay, according to SOUTHCOM.
The Mexican task force took full advantage of the opportunities to increase the force’s interoperability with key partners, the SEMAR release stated. “With these actions, the Secretariat of the Navy, through the Mexican Navy, increases collaboration and interoperability between friendly nations, increasing its effectiveness in responding to the presence of common threats, in order to maintain security and peace in the South Pacific region, allowing Mexico to be projected as an actor committed to international security and cooperation.”
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