UNITAS 2016

UNITAS 2016 was a multinational maritime exercise conducted to enhance security cooperation and improve coalition operations. Held off the coast of Panama from Sept. 18 - 28, 2016, UNITAS trained forces from the Western Hemisphere in a variety of maritime scenarios. Ships, aircraft and personnel from the U.S. and 10 countries participated in the exercise.

18 ships from Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and the United States sail together during the UNITAS 2016 multinational maritime exercise off the coast of Panama. UNITAS is an annual multi-national exercise that focuses on strengthening our existing regional partnerships and encourages establishing new relationships through the exchange of maritime mission-focused knowledge and expertise throughout the exercise. (U.S. Navy Photo)

Overview 

This year’s exercise, hosted by Panama, was designed to train each navy and public security force to conduct joint naval operations, through the execution of littoral warfare, anti-piracy, maritime interdiction operations, countering transnational organized crime, anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, communications exercises and air operations in order to increase interoperability and capability between participating naval forces.

U.S. Forces in UNITAS 2016

• USNS SPEARHEAD (T-EPF 1)

• USCGC MOHAWK (WMEC 913)

• Joint Task Force-Bravo

• Naval Special Warfare Unit (NSWU) 4

• V Bat UAS Detachment

• Puma UAS Detachment from Aerovironment

• U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet

• Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 40

Background

UNITAS, which is Latin for “unity,” was first executed in 1960 and has been held every year since. This year marks the 57th iteration of the world’s longest running annual multinational maritime exercise.

UNITAS develops and sustains relationships that improve the capacity of our emerging and enduring partners’ maritime forces to achieve common desired effects. This annual exercise fosters friendly, mutual cooperation and understanding between participating navies and public security forces.