News

April 15, 2021

Southcom Can Use More ISR Capacity, Security Cooperation

Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and security cooperation are top budget priorities, the U.S. Southern Command's commander told the House Appropriations Committee.

CARIBBEAN SEA – (April 9, 2021) -- The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13) and Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard patrol vessel HMJS Cornwall sail in formation during a live-fire exercise April 9, 2021. Wichita is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which include counter illicit drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific

April 12, 2021

USS Wichita and Jamaican Forces Conduct Live-Fire Exercise

CARIBBEAN SEA — CARIBBEAN SEA – The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13) and Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel HMJS Cornwall conducted a live fire exercise in the Caribbean Sea April 9.

Littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) returns to Naval Base San Diego from her final deployment, April 12.

April 12, 2021

USS Freedom Returns from Final Deployment

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The inaugural littoral combat ship returned from a U.S. Fourth Fleet deployment, April 12.

U.S. Southern Command’s commander, Navy Adm. Craig Faller, and Argentine Minister of Defense Agustin Rossi, pose for a photo with other senior leaders in front of three mobile hospitals donated by the United States to Argentina to support the nation’s COVID-19 response.

April 9, 2021

SOUTHCOM Commander Visits Uruguay, Argentina

MIAMI (April 9, 2021) — The commander of U.S. Southern Command, Navy Adm. Craig Faller, completed a week-long trip today to Uruguay and Argentina where he met with each nation’s security leaders to discuss regional security and continued military-to-military cooperation.

April 6, 2021

U.S., Honduras, Costa Rica Train for Fires

Soto Cano Air Base — Joint Task Force-Bravo’s 612th Air Base Squadron hosted a new iteration of exercise CENTAM SMOKE at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras March 22 - 26, with the participation of 19 firefighters from Honduras and 5 from Costa Rica.

The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13), with embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 402, intercepts a suspect go fast vessel during counter-narcotics operations.

April 1, 2021

USS Wichita Interdicts $17 Million in Drugs

CARIBBEAN SEA- The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13) with embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 402 seized 400 kilograms of suspected cocaine, March 13.

The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13) conducts a bi-lateral maritime exercise with naval counterparts from the Dominican Republic, March 24, 2021.

March 27, 2021

Wichita Conducts Bi-Lateral Exercise with Dominican Republic

CARIBBEAN SEA — CARIBBEAN SEA - The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13) conducted a bi-lateral maritime exercise with naval counterparts from the Dominican Republic, Mar. 24 while operating in the Caribbean Sea.

Two soldiers hold maps in their hands and talk.

March 16, 2021

Border, Hemispheric Security Discussed at Senate Hearing

An increase in migrants coming across the southern border, threats to the Western Hemisphere by China, and solutions to those and other problems were discussed at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

Senior military leaders hold strategic level discussions.

March 11, 2021

U.S., NATO Defense Leaders Discuss the Future of Western Hemisphere Security

enior military leaders from the Department of Defense, Canada, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom held strategic level discussions to explore the future of the Western Hemisphere’s security through a trans-Atlantic lens.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf (WMSL-750) offloads approximately 7,500 pounds of seized cocaine and marijuana in San Diego, March 20, 2021.

March 11, 2021

Alameda-Based Coast Guard Cutter Offloads 7,500 Pounds of Cocaine, Marijuana in San Diego

The drugs, worth an estimated $126.7 million, were seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean between January and February, representing 10 suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America by the following Coast Guard and Navy ships: