Holly Boynton News

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Holly Boynton, U.S. Representatives from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard met with a delegation from Armada Nacional de Uruguay (Uruguayan Navy) Dec. 18-19 for the U.S. Navy and Uruguayan Operational Naval Committee Conference (ONC Uruguay). The two navies met to outline and agree to various exercises and interactions between their countries in Latin America during 2008. ONC Uruguay, hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) in Mayport is an annual conference to plan and coordinate various exercises and theater security cooperation events the U.S. and Uruguay intend to conduct for the upcoming year. The ONC brings together representatives from the U.S.

Brazilian Navy submarine Tikuna (S 34) enters Mayport Basin during its first visit to a U.S. Navy base, sponsored by U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO). NAVSO sponsors foreign military visits to promote relations with partner nations in Latin America to support Theater Security Cooperation. U.S. By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Holly Boynton, U.S. Brazilian submarine Tikuna (S 34) visited Mayport during its first deployment to a foreign country Aug. 3-13. Tikuna, homeported at Base Almirante Castro e Silva, Mocangue Island, near Rio de Janeiro, deployed from Brazil on May 27 to participate in several training exercises. Units from Canada, England, France and Peru worked together with Tikuna and the U.S. Navy to train in anti-submarine warfare.

The Argentine supply ship ARA Patagonia (B 1) participates in exercises alongside dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) to mark the beginning of UNITAS. Navies from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Spain and the United States are participating in UNITAS Atlantic 48-2007 from May 2-13 off the coast of Argentina. UNITAS is a combined South American- and U.S.-sponsored annual exercise that incorporates forces from several participating nations. Argentina is hosting this year’s Atlantic phase. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lenny M. By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Holly Boynton, U.S. Commander, Task Force Four Three (CTF 43) provided supply support to numerous U.S. and partner nation naval ships during a recent exercise off the coast of Argentina.

High Speed Vessel (HSV) 2 Swift, along with Commander Task Group 40.9, is deploying as part of the Global Fleet Station (GFS) pilot to the Caribbean Basin and Central America. This deployment is designed to analyze the GFS concept for the Navy, by enhancing cooperative partnerships with regional maritime services and improving operational readiness for the participating partner nations. U.S. The pilot Global Fleet Station (GFS) deployment began April 25, with the departure of High Speed Vessel (HSV) 2 Swift and the embarked Task Group (TG) 40.9, from Naval Station Mayport. “After much anticipation and preparation it feels great to get underway,” said Capt. Douglas Wied, commander Task Group 40.9. Global Fleet Station pilot 2007 is a U.S.

Colombian Armada submarine A.R.C. Tayrona completed joint training with several U.S. Navy ships in early November, during a brief deployment under the Diesel Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) off the coast of Mayport. The DESI program, established in 2001, has engaged several diesel South American navies with submarines to provide a series of programmed stateside deployments. The goal is to support fleet training exercises and tactical development events. “Being able to train with Tayrona gives us the opportunity to improve our skills in sub-surface detection,” said Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Rear Adm. James W. Stevenson Jr. He met with Cmdr. Herney Gutierrez, Tayrona’s commanding officer, during an office call at U.S.