Annual Panamax 2014 multinational exercise begins

The US Southern Command-backed annual multinational exercise, Panamax 2014, has started at Joint Base San Antonio in Texas, which is mainly aimed at assuring the defence of the Panama Canal.

In addition to Southcom and Marine Corps Forces South personnel, the US participants involved in the exercise include personnel at Navy Forces South in Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Florida, and Air Forces Southern at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

The seven-day exercise will make use of simulations to command and control multinational sea, air, cyber and land forces protecting the fundamental waterway and surrounding areas against threats from fierce extremism, natural disasters and plague outbreaks.

Other nations joining the US during the seven-day exercise include Brazil, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the United States.

During the exercise scenarios, participants will make use of a simulated B-52 bomber to support maritime detection and monitoring, marking its first time deployment of a live military asset.

Panamax is aimed at boosting the ability of nations to work collaboratively and allow assembled forces to organize as a multination task force and assess their responsiveness in joint operations.

Being one of the nation’s six geographically targeted unified commands, the US Southern Command is tasked with responsibility for US military operations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.