(COMPLETED)

FA PANAMAX 2007 was one of the largest multinational training exercises in 2007, involving more than 30 ships, a dozen aircraft and 7,500 personnel from 19 nations.  The U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise focused on ensuring the defense of the Panama Canal, one of the most strategically and economically crucial waterways in the world.  FA PANAMAX 2007 exercised ground, sea and air responses to any request from the government of Panama to assist in protecting and guaranteeing safe passage through the canal and ensuring its neutrality.

Notes Civil and military forces from 19 nations took part in FA PANAMAX, which was conducted Aug. 29 – Sept. 7, 2007 in the Caribbean and Pacific approaches to the canal, while land forces participated at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras.  Nineteen nations involved is the most ever since the PANAMAX exercise series began in 2003.   The exercise scenario included: „     Sea-to-sea training devoted to maritime interdiction ops and visit, boarding, search and seizure.   „     Land-based training focused on: §       Command and control §       Stability operations §       Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief   FA PANAMAX 2007 included the added dimension of both ground and air components, along with the traditional participation of maritime components.  This added dimension more fully accounted for a defense that would be required to help secure the canal’s security and neutrality.    The forces comprised Multi-National Force South under a combined joint task force led by U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Evan Chanik, commander, U.S. Second Fleet.   Some of FA PANAMAX 07’s exercise objectives: „     Exercise command and control in a multinational force to conduct Maritime Interdiction Ops, surveillance ops, monitoring and operational planning to achieve regional naval control and shipping protection. „     Promote interoperability. „     Conduct operations ensuring rights to freedom of navigation and sea-lanes of communication are maintained unrestricted „     Utilize Intelligence & Warning, Maritime Interdiction Ops, and “layered defense” to counter a threat. „     Develop and validate the common rules of engagement (ROE) for all force participating in the operation. „     Utilize national and international Maritime Law Enforcement to conduct multinational operations.   Nations involved in FA PANAMAX 07: Argentina Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Dominican  Rep. Ecuador France Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Netherlands Panama Peru United States Uruguay Nations involved as observers: El Salvador Mexico Paraguay United Kingdom   Exercise history: The FA PANAMAX annual exercise series began in 2003.  The first exercise included the participation of only three nations.  The exercise has grown since.  In 2004, nine nations took part; in 2005, 15 nations were involved; and last year, 18 nations participated.

Quick Links   „     U.S. Army Forces South „     Air Forces Southern (12 AF) „     U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command „     U.S. Second Fleet „     Background Notes: PANAMA „     USS Wasp (LHD 1) „     USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) „     USS Mitscher (DDG 57) „     USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) „     USCGC Thetis (WMEC 910)   Key Points     „     Thousands of ships transit the canal every year, carrying more than 200 million tons of exports and imports which are vital to the economies of all the nations in the region.   „     Global threats that have emerged in the 21st century affect all free nations and have transnational impact. A multinational approach is required to effectively neutralize these threats.   „     FA PANAMAX provides effective training to increase multinational force interoperability while supporting the training requirements of all participating nations’ civil and military services.   „     FA PANAMAX provides training to ensure civil, naval, air, and ground security forces can operate as an effective team, coordinating assets and sharing information to respond quickly to crises and protect the security of the region.   „     The increased participation in FA PANAMAX 2007 over previous years underscores the importance that the international community places on freedom of navigation as a pillar of security and stability worldwide.