A Mexican helicopter firing rockets at the former USS Conolly during UNITAS Gold in 2009

UNITAS Gold was the 50th iteration of UNITAS, which began in 1959 and is the longest-running multilateral maritime exercise.[1] The 2009 exercises included 25 ships and 70 aircraft from 12 nations and was the 50th time the operation was conducted.[2]

A Harpoon missile is launched from the guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook during the sinking exercise portion of UNITAS Gold.

Rear Admiral Joseph D. Kernan, then-Commander, U.S. Fourth Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, remarked that UNITAS helps "nations coordinate efforts to oppose the scourge" of piracy.[3]

A Colombian Navy AS-555 prepares to fire at ex-Connolly during operation UNITAS Gold.

References

  1. ^ Boynton, Holly (21 April 2009). "UNITAS Gold, Longest Running Naval Exercise, Begins in Florida". Official Website of the United States Navy. United States Navy. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  2. ^ James G. Stavridis (February 2014). Partnership for the Americas: Western Hemisphere Strategy and U.S. Southern Command. NDU Press. pp. 86–87. GGKEY:KDBABGL9GBS.
  3. ^ Peter Kien Hong Yu (21 August 2012). International Governance and Regimes: A Chinese Perspective. Routledge. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-136-52101-0.
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