April 17, 2025

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul Makes Multiple Drug Busts

CARIBBEAN SEA — The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21), in coordination with joint partners, stopped two alleged drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean Sea within a 72-hour span.

April 16, 2025

Hegseth Welcomes Salvadoran Counterpart, Praises Relationship Between Countries

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomed Salvadoran Defense Minister René Francis Merino Monroy to the Pentagon as part of a bilateral engagement in which the secretary praised the bond shared between the two countries.

April 11, 2025

UNITAS 2025 Mid Planning Conference Concludes

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet completed the UNITAS 2025 mid planning conference on board Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Apr. 7-11. Held virtually and in-person, the conference brought together commands from the U.S. and partner nations to plan for UNITAS 2025, the 66th iteration of the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise.

April 11, 2025

USS Chosin supports Central American Security Conference 2025

U.S. Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander, U.S. Southern Command, and John M. Barrett, Charge d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Panama, co-hosted a reception for Panamanian government officials and foreign dignitaries aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65) during a port visit to Panama Apr. 7, opening the Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC 2025). CENTSEC is a week of international joint operations and training, to promote and facilitate dialogue and cooperation among regional security partners focused on common challenges and objectives.

April 11, 2025

USNS Comfort to visit SOUTHCOM Region; Ship to support Continuing Promise 2025 Mission

PANAMA CITY, Panama – (Apr. 10, 2025) – Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced April 9 that a U.S. Navy hospital ship, the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), will deploy in support of Continuing Promise 2025 later this year.

April 9, 2025

Hegseth Says U.S. Partnering With Panama to Secure Canal, Deter China

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced an expanded partnership between the U.S. and Panama to secure the Panama Canal in order to counter "China's maligned influence" in the region.

April 4, 2025

U.S. Special Ops Conduct Combined Training With Panama, Formalize Commitment

Recent security engagements between U.S. and Panamanian forces culminated in the first official U.S.-Panama special operations forces talks, underscoring a decades-long bilateral partnership.

April 4, 2025

JTF-Bravo completes PANAMAX-Alpha Phase 0 2025

Fifty-one Soldiers, Airmen and Marines from Joint Task Force-Bravo conducted PANAMAX-Alpha Phase 0 in Panama, from March 24 to April 4, 2025. PANAMAX-Alpha is a bilateral exercise between the United States and Panama conducted by JTF-Bravo and supported by the U.S. Southern Command. The exercise allows both countries to work alongside each other to strengthen relationships in security, humanitarian and logistical fields.

April 4, 2025

United States and Panama Expand Security Cooperation

The United States and Panama will co-host the Central America Security Conference (CENTSEC), in Panama April 8-10. Through CENTSEC, SOUTHCOM seeks to promote and facilitate dialogue and cooperation among regional security partners focused on common challenges and objectives. This year's conference will focus on regional defense through joint operations and cybersecurity.

April 1, 2025

Leaders Describe Host of Threats to Homeland, Steps to Mitigate Them

The Defense Department's No. 1 priority is defending the homeland, said Rafael F. Leonardo, who is performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs.

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