After completing the Fraterno XXXVII Exercise with units from the Brazilian Navy and participating in an Open Doors event in Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego Province), the destroyer ARA “Sarandí” (D-13) cast off to begin its journey to Chile, where the LXV edition of the multinational exercise UNITAS will take place.
This edition of UNITAS LXV will feature participation from 24 countries, with 19 surface units, 12 observers, 19 aircraft, and over 4,000 personnel. Organized annually by the U.S. Navy, this exercise is conducted under the framework of the Inter-American Reciprocal Assistance Treaty, originating from the First Naval Conference held in Panama in 1959.
The Argentine Navy’s participation in the 65th edition of UNITAS represents a significant opportunity for joint training with navies from the region, focusing on surface unit operations. This training will cover various operational scenarios, enhancing techniques and tactics with amphibious, diving, Special Forces, and Naval Aviation operations, among others, and setting international standards for the participating crews and personnel.
The importance of returning to participate in UNITAS was highlighted by the Chief of the General Staff of the Navy in an interview with the Zona Militar team. Allievi, when asked about the return of the Argentine Navy to large-scale multinational exercises and specifically back to the Pacific, noted, “After August, the frigate coming from Brazil to UNITAS, while it is in the Argentine Sea, will conduct the Fraterno exercise, which is a bilateral exercise we have been doing with the Brazilian Navy since 1978. The last one was held last year in Brazilian waters, and this year it will take place in Argentine waters. One of the ships participating in the Fraterno exercise with the Brazilian Navy will continue with that Brazilian ship and join the multinational operation with all the Western Hemisphere navies, as well as other invited navies in the UNITAS operation off the coast of Chile, specifically near Talcahuano and Valparaíso. Specifically, the exercise will involve training at the surface unit level, submarines, and aircraft.”
It is worth noting that Argentina’s last participation was in UNITAS LX in 2019, with the deployment of the destroyer ARA “Almirante Brown” (D-10) and the transport ARA “Bahía San Blas” (B-4), with a crew of 372, participating in the maritime (UNITAS Lant) and amphibious (UNITAS Amphibious) phases.
This opportunity is also a good time to highlight the progress in the National Senate regarding the authorization of foreign troop entry and the departure of national forces, scheduled from September 1 of the current year to August 31, 2025. During the discussion, the Secretary of International Affairs for Defense, Juan Battaleme, stated, “These exercises keep our defense force trained with friendly nations and fulfill the role of a capable and trained military force. Moreover, this supports the central role of defense diplomacy.”
*Images used for illustrative purposes.-
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