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UNITAS 47-06 Concludes: Multinational Force Trained and Ready

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS051102-08
Release Date: 11/2/2005 1:02:00 PM

From U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Public Affairs

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (NNS) -- Returning to port Oct. 30 after 10 days at sea off the coast of Brazil, units participating in exercise UNITAS 47-06 Atlantic phase moved to the final phase of the training: exercise critique and initial planning for the next opportunity.

Navies from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Uruguay and the United States, and the Brazilian Air Force participated in the exercise, which was conducted to test and enhance interoperability during multinational maritime operations at sea.

This year’s Atlantic phase of UNITAS was planned and organized by Brazil, under the leadership of Rear Adm. Carlos Augusto, commander of Brazil’s 2nd Fleet Division. In assessing he results of the training, the admiral said, “The training we accomplished was very successful. It is always challenging to operate at sea; this is a challenge Sailors all over the world enjoy. What makes UNITAS even more exciting is so many navies working together, communicating and making each of us better and more ready.”

A primary objective of the exercise was training and practicing Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), in which boarding teams review and rehearse boarding procedures, then practice their skills by boarding other ships.

“This is an invaluable experience for all the Sailors involved,” said Commodore David Costa, commander, Destroyer Squadron 6, based in Pascagoula, Miss. “The skills they learn and refine here help with the wide variety of maritime issues many countries face every day. From encroachments on fishing rights to interrupting the flow of illegal drugs, the skills these Sailors leave here with will help each country’s navy more effectively do missions that support maritime security throughout the Western Hemisphere.”

While MIO was a central focus for the training, the multinational force exercised numerous other missions as well. The force honed traditional maritime skills essential to sustaining a large force at sea such as replenishment-at-sea, in which ships receive supplies such as food and fuel. Other mission areas that were practiced include various anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare scenarios; ship maneuvering evolutions; communications; and command and control.

“We trained on a wide spectrum of skills,” added Costa. “Any time Sailors get a chance to go to sea, it only makes sense to do as much training as possible to keep our skills in top shape.”

While most of the Sailors were at sea for UNITAS, some stayed ashore to help explain the exercise to the residents of Rio de Janeiro. The U.S. Navy Showband, based in Norfolk, Va., deployed for the exercise and performed seven shows to audiences throughout the area.

Led by Chief Musician Don Chilton, from New Orleans, La., the band performed to standing-room-only crowds along with their Brazilian counterparts from Fuzibossa, the Brazilian Navy’s Showband.

“We were honored to be a part if this exercise,” said Chilton. “Performing with the Brazilian navy for the crowds around Rio has been a wonderful experience because the crowds get so involved with singing and dancing along. But what I like best is the chance to play music with these truly talented musicians from Brazil’s navy -- they are really good and put on a heck of a show.”

Both Navy bands played for the multinational force during a Sports Day at Mocangue, in which the countries squared off against each other in soccer and basketball. Brazil walked away with top honors in soccer and basketball, besting fierce competition from each of the other navies.

Carlos Augusto emphasized the value of Sports Day as an essential part of the exercise, saying “These Sailors work very hard and train together, and part of operating as a multinational force is sharing opportunities to get to know each other. With Sports Day, our Sailors can show off some of their athletic talent, and solidify the bonds of friendship they have formed.”

The final element of the exercise was assessing the results of the myriad training opportunities and laying the initial foundation for subsequent exercises and operations. Costa said “We really scrub the results of what we do during these exercises: we learn what works best, what doesn’t work so well, and how we can use these lessons to make the process better. You never know when you will be needed for real-world operations -- we use this training to make sure we are ready whenever called.”