News
Navy and Marine planners from more than 20 countries gathered during the UNITAS 2025 Final Planning Conference in Jacksonville, Fla. The conference brought together representatives from the U.S. and partner nations to finalize plans for UNITAS 2025, the 66th iteration of the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise.

June 27, 2025

U.S. Fourth Fleet Holds UNITAS 2025 Final Planning Conference

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet hosted the UNITAS 2025 final planning conference (FPC) from June 23-27, building upon the momentum established during the main-planning conference held in April and initial planning conference held in February. The FPC brought together representatives from the U.S. and partner nations to finalize plans for UNITAS 2025, the 66th iteration of the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise.

A white U.S. military hospital ship floats in the ocean while a military helicopter approaches it

June 26, 2025

Continuing Promise 2025 Mission Update: Panama

MIAMI, Fla. — Balancing operational requirements and contingency readiness, the USNS Comfort will remain in the Caribbean Sea and continue to execute its Continuing Promise 2025 mission. The ship's planned mission stop in Panama will now take place in Colón from June 25-July 1, instead of Panama City as previously scheduled.

250625-A-LS473-1017 COLÓN, Panama (June 25, 2025) The Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrives in Colón, Panama during Continuing Promise 2025, June 25, 2025. Continuing Promise 2025 is the 16th iteration of the U.S. 4th Fleet/U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command-led mission since 2007, which aims to foster goodwill, strengthen existing partnerships with partner nations, and form new partnerships between host nations, non-federal entities, and international organizations. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. William Hunter)

June 26, 2025

USNS Comfort Arrives in Colón, Panama

COLÓN, Panama — The Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in Colón, Panama as part of Continuing Promise 2025 (CP25), June 25, 2025.

250616-A-LS473-1067 ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada (June 16, 2025) The Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departs from St. George’s, Grenada, during Continuing Promise 2025, June 16, 2025. Continuing Promise 2025 is the 16th iteration of the U.S. 4th Fleet/U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command-led mission since 2007, which aims to foster goodwill, strengthen existing partnerships with partner nations, and form new partnerships between host nations, non-federal entities, and international organizations. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. William Hunter)

June 24, 2025

USNS COMFORT DEPARTS GRENADA DURING CONTINUING PROMISE 2025

SAINT GEORGE'S, Grenada — The Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departed St. George’s, Grenada, June 16, 2025, concluding a seven-day mission as part of Continuing Promise 2025 (CP25). This visit marked the third Continuing Promise mission stop to Grenada since 2007, and the second visit to Grenada by Comfort.

Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG-67) moors off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina, April 15, 2025 during Exercise Southern Lightning. For the exercise, Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic tested several pieces of equipment as part of their routine scientific mission to enhance the interoperability and performance of various naval communications system configurations and capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Emily Farnsworth) [Stock Photo]

June 12, 2025

USS Cole Assists Royal Canadian Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Conduct At-Sea Transfer of Intercepted Contraband

CARIBBEAN SEA — The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67), supporting maritime southern border operations, conducted a hold-and-transfer of 245 kilograms of contraband recovered by the Royal Canadian Navy Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessel HMCS William Hall (AOPV 433) in the Caribbean Sea June 9. The Reliance-class U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Vigorous (WMEC 627) accepted the contraband from the Cole’s embarked USCG Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) June 11 during a rendezvous at sea in the Caribbean.

250610-N-DF135-1044 ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA (June 10, 2025) Honorable Philip Telesford, Minister of Health of Grenada, speaks at the Continuing Promise 2025 opening ceremony in St. George’s, Grenada, June 10, 2025. Continuing Promise 2025 is the 16th iteration of the U.S. 4th Fleet/U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command-led Mission since 2007, which aims to foster goodwill, strengthen existing partnerships with partner nations, and form new partnerships between host nations, non-federal entities, and international organizations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Deven Fernandez)

June 11, 2025

USNS Comfort Arrives in Grenada for Continuing Promise 2025

ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada — The Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in St.George’s, Grenada, to provide a variety of medical treatments to include: dental, family medicine, internal medicine, optometry, nursing, pharmacy, biomedical repair, lab, radiology, X-ray and veterinary medicine as a part of Continuing Promise 2025 (CP25), June 9.

Navy Ship

June 6, 2025

USS Cole Relieves USS Gravely, Assumes Southern Border Mission

MAYPORT, Fla. — The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) departed Naval Station Mayport, Florida, to support U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) southern border operations, June 5. The Cole, homeported in Norfolk, Va., will deploy under U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet. The deployment aims to enhance maritime security and support interagency collaboration in the region through presence operations and the support of an embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET).

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello welcomes distinguished visitors and industry partners during the opening of the Hybrid Fleet Campaign (HFC) Fleet Experiment (FLEX) showcase event at Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa near San Salvador, El Salvador, May 27, 2025. HFC is a learning campaign to retain and improve advantages using next-generation manned and unmanned systems, tested and integrated during and after FLEX. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is the maritime component of U.S. Southern Command and the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security and stability.

May 29, 2025

Hybrid Fleet Campaign Event - USNAVSOUTH and Salvadoran Navy integrate Robotic and Autonomous Systems during FLEX 2025

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (May 27, 2025) — Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa, in coordination with the Salvadoran Navy, hosted the annual U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet Hybrid Fleet Campaign (HFC) Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) Event demonstrating combined/joint integration potential for unmanned systems during a showcase event in San Salvador, El Salvador, May 27.

From left, retired Rear Adm. Jim Aiken, Mr. Bob Kapcio, Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, and retired Rear Adm. Don Gabrielson celebrate Kapcio’s more than 40 years of naval service during a retirement luncheon in his honor. Kapcio completed his 33 years of military service serving as 4th Fleet’s first Maritime Operations Center (MOC) Director in 2011, prior to serving for 14 years in a civilian role, most recently as the Commander’s Action Group (CAG) Director. Retired Rear Adms. Gabrielson (2019-2021) and Aiken (2021-2024) served as 4th Fleet commanders prior to Rear Adm. Sardiello. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is the maritime component of U.S. Southern Command and the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security, and stability.

May 16, 2025

End of an Era U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet CAG Retires After 47 Years of Service

MAYPORT, Florida — NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Florida – (Apr. 25, 2025) – Current and former flag officers, staffers and friends gathered at the Naval Station Mayport Chief Petty Officer’s Club Apr. 25, 2025, to honor the career and legacy of Mr. Bob Kapcio, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. 4th Fleet’s Commander’s Action Group Director, who has retired after 47 years of service to the United States.

The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) sit at anchor during Continuing Promise 2015. Continuing Promise is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted deployment to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian-civil assistance, subject matter expert exchanges, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering support and disaster response to partner nations and to show U.S. support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Gary Johnson/Released)

May 13, 2025

Continuing Promise 2025 Set to Begin

MAYPORT, Florida — The U.S. Navy Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) will deploy this June-August to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2025 mission. After several months of detailed planning, USNS Comfort is scheduled to visit Grenada, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic during the nearly three month-long mission.

Follow us on Facebook