U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command > Press Room

Sept. 28, 2022

Jacksonville Sortie Area Ships and Aircraft Ahead of Hurricane Ian

Mayport, Fla. — U.S. 4th Fleet has ordered all ships and aircraft to make preparations for Hurricane Ian’s expected arrival.

Sept. 22, 2022

UNITAS Concludes After Successful Exercise

Rio De Janeiro — UNITAS LXIII (63), the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise concluded with a closing ceremony in Rio De Janeiro, Sept. 22, 2022.

RIO DE JANEIRO (Sept. 8, 2022) Brazilian Navy Adm. Marcos Sampaio Olsen, Commander Naval Operations, and U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro greet each other prior to the opening ceremony for UNITAS LXIII, Sept. 8, 2022. UNITAS is the world’s longest-running maritime exercise. Hosted this year by Brazil, it brings together multinational forces from Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and the United States conducting operations in and off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The exercise trains forces to conduct joint maritime operations through the execution of anti-surface, anti-submarine, anti-air, amphibious and electronic warfare operations that enhance warfighting proficiency and increase interoperability among participating naval and marine forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ethan Craw/Released)

Sept. 16, 2022

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Kicks Off UNITAS LXIII in Rio De Janeiro

RIO DE JANEIRO — More than 5,500 military personnel from 19 partner nations kicked off UNITAS LXIII (63) during an opening ceremony Sept. 8, 2022.

A U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom helicopter assigned to Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773 hovers above the landing pad of the San Antonio class dock landing ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) in the North Atlantic Ocean, Aug. 16, 2022. HMLA 773 launched three UH-1Y Venom and two AH-1Z Viper helicopters from McGuire Air Force Base and embarked them aboard the USS Mesa Verde for transit to Brazil in support of exercise UNITAS LXIII hosted by the Brazilian Navy and Marine Corps. UNITAS, which is Latin for “unity,” was conceived in 1959 and has taken place annually since first conducted in 1960. This year marks the 63rd iteration of the world’s longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise. Additionally, this year Brazil will celebrate its bicentennial, a historical milestone commemorating 200 years of the country’s independence.

Sept. 3, 2022

U.S. Maritime Forces Arrive for UNITAS LXIII hosted by Brazil

NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN — Navy and Marine forces are set to arrive in Rio de Janeiro in support of UNITAS LXIII, the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise scheduled to take place Sept. 8-22.

Chief Master-At-Arms Robert Abreu, assigned to the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Burlington (T-EPF-10), briefs Dutch military police while they tour the ship during a theater security cooperation event, Aug. 9, 2022. Burlington is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support expeditionary maintenance to deployed littoral combat ships operating in the region and conduct theater security cooperation engagements to maintain access, enhance interoperability and build enduring partnerships in the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Sept. 3, 2022

USNS Burlington Conducts Theater Security

ORANJESTAD, Aruba — The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Burlington (T-EPF-10) arrived in the port of Oranjestad on the island of Aruba, Aug. 7, during its deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations.

Aug. 16, 2022

Exercise PANAMAX 2022 Concludes in Mayport, Florida

Mayport, Fla. — PANAMAX 2022 concluded at U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet (USNAVSO/4th Fleet), Aug. 11.

Aug. 4, 2022

Exercise PANAMAX 2022 Kicks Off in Mayport, Florida

Mayport, Fla. — U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is hosting the Combined Force Maritime Component Command (CFMCC) Staff participating in exercise PANAMAX 2022, in Mayport, Fla., Aug. 1-12, 2022.

Aug. 1, 2022

U.S. 4th Fleet Announces USNS Comfort Deployment

MAYPORT, Fla. — The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) will deploy to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations this fall as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2022 mission.

Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Amanda Bishop gives signals to the pilot in an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 266 on the flight deck of the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), during exercise Caraibes 2022, June 13, 2022. Caraibes 2022 is a French led, combined and joint training exercise in the Caribbean involving naval, air and land assets. This multi-national exercise aims to promote cooperation among regional forces and their collective ability to successfully provide humanitarian assistance/disaster relief in response to a natural disaster.

June 21, 2022

U.S. 4th Fleet and MARFORSOUTH Complete Caraibes 2022

CARIBBEAN SEA — Forces assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, U.S. Marine Corps Forces South, and II Marine Expeditionary Force conducted exercise Caraibes 2022, June 7-17, 2022.

The color guard parades the colors during a change of command ceremony aboard the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13) as Cmdr. Eric Meyers relieves Cmdr. Daniel Reiher as commanding officer in Ponce, Puerto Rico, June 10, 2022. Wichita is in the U.S. 4th Fleet operating area (OPAREA) in support of the Joint Interagency Task Force-South’s counter-narcotics mission.

June 15, 2022

USS Wichita Holds Change of Command Ceremony

PONCE, Puerto Rico — Cmdr. Eric Meyers relieved Cmdr. Daniel Reiher as commanding officer of the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13), in a ceremony held aboard Wichita in Ponce, Puerto Rico, June 10, 2022.

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