More than 5,000 military personnel from the naval forces of 23 countries will participate in the 64th edition of the Unitas exercises held in Peru from September 10 to 24.

The exercises include drills in the Pacific Ocean, as well as in lakes and Amazon rivers.

Participating countries this year include the United States, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, and Spain.

These feature ships, submarines, aircraft, amphibious forces and unmanned systems.

Among the vessels standing out are the U.S. littoral combat ship Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS-21), Spanish frigate Alvaro de Bazan (F-101), Colombian frigate Almirante Padilla (FM-51), Argentine destroyer Almirante Brown, Ecuadorian corvette Manabi (CM-12), Ecuadorian tugboat Imbabura (RA-72), and Chilean patrol vessel Cabo Odger (OPV-84).

The U.S. P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will also participate, providing anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

Cyber defense capabilities will be incorporated into the exercises on this occasion.

The exercises will help strengthen interoperability, cooperation, and the joint response capabilities of the participating forces in addressing challenges in the maritime domain, according to the Peruvian Navy, which is hosting them.

(END) EFE/RMCH/MVB