After two months of preparation, 74 crew aboard the ocean patrol boat ARC 7 de Agosto set sail this Thursday, to represent Colombia in the version number 61 of the international operation Unitas, which this year will take place for 10 days in the maritime waters of Ecuador, from 02 to 11 November.
This unit Afloat, attached to the Naval Force of the Pacific, will travel around 410 nautical miles, departing from Málaga Bay in Valle del Cauca, until it reaches the next 2th November the port of Manta, in order to participate in this important international operation with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, united States, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, to demonstrate their resources, level of readiness and training.
During the training and international cooperation exercises, countries will conduct naval deployment with the participation of more than 800 sailors, on board 14 warships and 12 aircraft.
Annually, this multinational training operation, led by the United States, integrates naval resources of partner countries, through the execution of offensive and defensive exercises in a coordinated and safe manner, in order to achieve interoperability conducted by countries in the region. It in the same way helps to affirm ties of partnership and cooperation of the participating countries.
During the operation, training exercises will in the same way include surface maneuvers, tactical formations and exercises of tactical publications, communications, maritime interception, search and rescue operations and major and minor weaponry, completing 17 naval exercises.
This operation has been promoted since 1959 by the United States under the Inter-American Treaty of mutual assistance (TIAR) and since then, Colombia and the United States are the only countries that have participated continuously in its 61 versions.
For this year the participation of Colombia will be through a task group made up of the ocean patrol boat ARC 7 de Agosto, a Coast Guard defender boat and a remotely manned aircraft, which under the command of Captain Andrés Monsalve Agudelo, maintains his maximum level of preparation and training to participate in this multinational exercise.
Source: press-Navy of Colombia
