The U.S. Marine Corps joins 24 other nations to begin UNITAS LXV, the 65th edition of the world's longest-running multinational maritime exercise, in Chile on September 2, 2024.
UNITAS is an annual exercise conducted in either the Atlantic or Pacific waters around Central and South America. UNITAS brings together like-minded allies and partners from around the world to strengthen relationships, improve interoperability, and facilitate collective defense and global security.
“UNITAS is a testament to the strength of our alliances and our shared commitment to maritime security with our allies and partners,” said Brigadier General Omar J. Randall, deputy commander, U.S. Marine Forces South and U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
Randall is the Deputy Littoral Warfare Commander (LWC) for UNITAS this year. The LWC is a multinational task force comprised of U.S. Marines, partner nations, and Marines from 12 nations. For UNITAS, the LWC has deployed its forces across forward mission bases in support of the Combined Maritime Task Force Commander. The LWC is based on the Marine Corps’ EABO concept and has been adapted for UNITAS. This is also the first time this form of expeditionary warfare has been employed in the Southern Command area of responsibility.
“In addition to the EABO C2 experience within a multinational architecture, we work alongside our Marine Corps partners to hone those skills that make us uniquely qualified to operate in littoral areas and respond to crises from the sea,” Randall said. “Furthermore, exercising those skills at UNITAS demonstrates why Marines remain an indispensable part of the Marine Corps’ mission force.”
The United States, along with its partner Marines, will conduct a range of operations from its airborne armored vehicles to include joint live-fire training to increase interoperability, light armored vehicle operations, air operations, reconnaissance operations, and amphibious raids.
This year's exercise includes Advanced Expeditionary Basic Operations, a form of expeditionary warfare that involves the use of mobile, low-signature, persistent, and relatively easy to maintain and sustain maritime expeditionary forces from a series of temporary, austere locations ashore in order to deny sea, support sea control, or enable fleet support.
Photo by Lance Corporal Payton Goodrich
U.S. Marines with Marine Air Support Squadron 6 stand in formation outside the Chilean Marine Corps Camp at Expeditionary Forward Base North in Puerto Aldea, Chile, Sept. 3, 2024. Expeditionary Forward Base North was established to facilitate multilateral training and provide training for amphibious operations in littoral areas. Through event-based scenarios, UNITAS provides unique training opportunities at sea and ashore in challenging and uncertain environments to conduct joint maritime operations that enhance combat effectiveness and increase interoperability among participating Marine and Marine forces.
The countries contributing troops and marines to UNIFIL LXV include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the United States, and Uruguay.
This year, the Chilean Navy is hosting UNITAS LXV, which will involve approximately 4,300 personnel, 19 surface warships, two submarines and 23 aircraft. The forces will include a joint task force, the UNITAS Multinational Force.
Participating U.S. Marines include the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment; 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment; 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion; 4th Reconnaissance Battalion; 4th Logistics Combat Regiments; 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment; Marine Air Refueling Transport Squadron 234; Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48; Marine Aircraft Control Group-48; and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112.
UNITAS LXV promotes a safe and unified maritime environment and underscores the enduring promise of partnership and cooperation across the Western Hemisphere. UNITAS, which means “unity” in Latin, is a testament to the United States’ commitment to the region and strong partnerships.
U.S. Marine Forces South is the U.S. Marine Corps component of U.S. Southern Command, responsible for building and maintaining relationships with allies and partner nations in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The command builds capacity with like-minded democratic nations through a range of military-to-military engagements and other security cooperation events to demonstrate the value and utility of the Marine and Marine Corps team through joint and mutually supportive operations and engagements. Partnerships cultivated throughout the region advance the rule of law, which is essential to security, stability, economic prosperity, and personal freedoms. Additionally, strong partnerships, shared knowledge, and joint and multinational interoperability enable burden-sharing and crisis response while advancing the common defense, promoting stability, and defeating threats.
Follow all US Marine Corps UNITAS 2024 content here:
https://www.marforsouth.marines.mil/news-photos/operations-and-exercises/2024/unitas/
