Friday, April 8, 2011

ARA Robinson (CM 45)

The Argentinean ship ARA Robinson (CM 45) fires its 5 inch gun during a surface gunnery exercise conducted as part of UNITAS 45-04 Pacific Phase. Naval forces from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and observers from Mexico and Canada are participating in UNITAS 45-04. Eleven partner nations from the U.S. and Latin America joined forces in the largest multilateral exercise in the Southern Hemisphere. Held since 1959, UNITAS aims to unite military forces throughout the Americas with bilateral and multilateral shipboard, amphibious and in-port exercises and operations. UNITAS improves operational readiness and interoperability of U.S. and South American naval, coast guard, and marine forces while promoting friendship, professionalism and understanding among participants. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Lt. Ligia Cohen)

BAP Sanchez Carrillon (CM 26)

The Peruvian fast attack craft Sanchez Carrillon (CM 26) fires at a Ship Deployable Surface Target (SDST), simulating an incoming threat, during a surface gunnery exercise conducted during the UNITAS 45-04 Pacific Phase. Deployed and operated by an Afloat Training Group Detachment embarked aboard USS Thomas S. Gates, the SDTS provides state-of-the-art training for participating forces. Naval forces from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and observers from Mexico and Canada are participating in UNITAS 45-04, the premier naval exercise in the region, which is conducted under the direction of Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and hosted this year by the Peruvian Navy. UNITAS is designed to develop interoperability among the participating navies while increasing readiness and providing the training in a high-tech environment. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Lt. Ligia Cohen)

ARM Usumacinta (A-412)

Mexican Navy ship Usumacinta (A-412), formerly USS Frederick (LST-1184), arrives in Pearl Harbor for a 10-day port visit. Usumacinta was a Pearl Harbor based ship, before it was decommissioned on October 5, 2002 and later sold to the Mexican Navy in December 2002. Usumacinta returned to Pearl Harbor to retrieve machinery parts from the several decommissioned tank-landing ships maintained in the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Photographer’s Mate 1st Class William R. Goodwin)

LNS Aukstaitis (F 12)

The Lithuanian frigate LNS Aukstaitis (F 12) steams through the Baltic Sea during the annual maritime exercise Baltic Operations 2003 (BALTOPS). The United States and 12 other nations are participating in this year's exercise. BALTOPS 2003 is intended to improve interoperability between allies and Partnership for Peace countries by conducting support operations at sea including exercises in gunnery, replenishment at sea, undersea warfare, radar tracking, mine countermeasures, seamanship, search and rescue, maritime interdiction operations, and scenarios dealing with potentially real world crises. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg.