Maritime forces from the United States, 10 East African and two European nations, along with several international organizations, have just commenced the multinational maritime exercise Cutlass Express 2013 off the coast of East Africa. Exercise Cutlass Express 2013, held in several operational areas in waters off East Africa, is an at-sea maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation, tactical expertise and information sharing practices among participating nations in order to increase maritime safety and security in the region.