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	Exercise PANAMAX 2018 Kicks off in Mayport
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        <h1 class="title">Exercise PANAMAX 2018 Kicks off in Mayport</h1>
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                 alt="Rear Adm. Sean Buck delivers opening remarks."
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            <div class="image-title">180731-N-PQ607-0027</div>
            <div class="image-caption">MAYPORT, Fla. (July 31, 2018) - Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, Rear Adm. Sean Buck delivers opening remarks to U.S. and partner nation personnel who comprise the Combined Force Maritime Component Command (CFMCC) portion of exercise PANAMAX 2018. The exercise is focused on the security of the Panama Canal and stability within the U.S. Southern Command area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hendricks/Released)</div>
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                 alt="Rear Adm. Sean Buck delivers opening remarks."
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            <div class="image-title">180731-N-PQ607-0010</div>
            <div class="image-caption">MAYPORT, Fla. (July 31, 2018) - Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, Rear Adm. Sean Buck delivers opening remarks to U.S. and partner nation personnel who comprise the Combined Force Maritime Component Command (CFMCC) portion of exercise PANAMAX 2018. The exercise is focused on the security of the Panama Canal and stability within the U.S. Southern Command area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hendricks/Released)</div>
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    <div><b>By U.S. 4th Fleet Public Affairs </b> <span class="date">/ Published July 31, 2018</span></div>
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    MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet (USNAVSO/FOURTHFLT) hosts the Combined Force Maritime Component Command (CFMCC) portion of the annual exercise PANAMAX from July 30 through Aug. 10. <br />
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Panamax, an annual multinational exercise, develops and sustains relationships that allow partner-nation security forces in the region to achieve common goals, increase cooperation, and improve understanding. <br />
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PANAMAX began in 2003 with three countries, Chile, Panama and the United States, and originally focused solely on the maritime security of the Panama Canal. Since that time, the exercise has grown to become the region's largest coalition Command Post Exercise, ensuring the defense of the Panama Canal, which is one of the most strategically and economically crucial pieces of infrastructure in the world. <br />
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Since inception, partner nations have continued to take increased leadership roles in the exercise. This year, Colombia is leading the Combined Force Land Component Command (CFLCC), Brazil is leading the CFMCC, and Argentina is leading the Combined Force Special Operations Component Command (CFSOCC). <br />
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The main focus of PANAMAX 2018 is exercising a variety of responses to fulfil requests from the government of Panama to protect and guarantee safe passage of traffic through the Panama Canal, ensure its neutrality, and respect national sovereignty. This exercise is designed to conduct stability operations under in support of a fictitious United Nations Security Council Resolution, providing interoperability training for the participating multinational staffs, and building participating nation capability to plan and conduct complex multinational operations. <br />
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Joining the U.S., 98 participants from 17 partner nations are participating in the maritime portion of exercise PANAMAX 2018 including: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. <br />
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The exercise provides unique simulated training opportunities that incorporate scripted, event-driven scenarios to provide the maximum opportunity to improve interoperability. These simulated training scenarios address key aspects of multination and combined operations such as technology standardization and common operating procedures. <br />
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USNAVSO/FOURTHFLT supports U.S. Southern Command's joint and combined fullspectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions. <br />
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For more information and news from U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command & U.S. 4th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusns/, http://www.facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT, and http://twitter.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT. <br />
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For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.<br />
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For more news from U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command & U.S. 4th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusns/.<br />
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