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U.S., South American Nations Coordinate Air Ops In Panamax 2005

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050819-12
Release Date: 8/19/2005 3:15:00 PM

By Jimena Lopez and Journalist 2nd Class Lucinda Thierry, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Panama (NNS) -- In August, staff from Commander, Strike Group (CSG) 6, working with South and Central American counterparts, were responsible for directing the operations of seven maritime patrol aircraft participating in PANAMAX 2005, a multinational exercise designed for the defense of the most important waterway in the region.

Argentinean, Colombian, Chilean and Panamanian aircraft patrolling the Caribbean and Pacific approaches to the Panama Canal flew 116 hours in five days, collecting crucial information for the combined force tasked with protecting the Panama Canal.

“They provided persistent long-range surveillance, turning in imagery and positioning data of all contacts of interest,” said Lt. Cmdr. James Anderson, a member of CSG 6 supporting PANAMAX.

Maritime surveillance assets operating out of the National Air Service (SAN) base in Tocumen, Panama, included P-3s from Argentina and Chile, one Casa 212-300, two T-35s and one Bell 212 from Panama. In addition, two Colombian Casa 235s operated out of northern Colombia, extending the surveillance area.

Directing the operations of all these assets was the Combined Forces Air Command (CFACC), also at Tocumen and led by Panamanian Lt. Col. David Ramos and Capt. Kevin Hutcheson, CSG 6 director of operations and CFACC deputy commander.

“This [exercise] is all about cooperation and coordination. It’s the only way we can do it,” said Hutcheson.

The CFACC held a daily Air Tasking Order meeting to address the needs of ships afloat, and the day ended with “a meeting of analysis and evaluation of the exercise,” said SAN Chief of Operations Col. David Ramos.

“This type of operation favors embracing the ties of friendship between the maritime participants, in addition to our training in exercising control of the sea and defense of the Panama Canal that is so important for us,” said Ramos.

The training value of the exercise was praised by Argentinean Cmdr. Jose Horacio Giaquinta. “This exercise offers the opportunity to interact with other countries and train together," he said.

“This exercise demonstrates that we are prepared and capable of executing conmmon missions with a shared goal as important as the defense of the Panama Canal,” said Chilean Rear Adm. Crisitan Gantes Young.