By David Pugliese, From Ottawa Citizen

The Canadian Forces will take part in Exercise Tradewinds 16, a United States-led multinational “maritime interdiction, disaster response, and ground security exercise” taking place in the Caribbean from June 5th to 28th.

Ships, aircraft and personnel from 20 nations are taking part.

Canadian Forces personnel will both lead and participate in various land and maritime training serials throughout the duration of the exercise, according to the Canadian military. Additional personnel will also participate in an observer/trainer capacity.

The Royal Canadian Navy’s contribution to Exercise Tradewinds 16 will consist of one Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel (Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Shawinigan), with a crew of 40, as well as a diver training team from Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) and Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific), according to the CF. HMCS Shawinigan will focus on areas such as firefighting, suspect vessel tracking and boarding procedures, and weapons handling. The team of divers will lead training in areas including nighttime diving operations, hull search techniques and evidence site contamination prevention.

The Canadian Army will provide a contingent of approximately 30 personnel, primarily from The 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, Alberta, according to the Canadian Forces. In partnership with the U.S. military and the Jamaica Defence Force, the Canadian Army helped design and will co-lead training in conducting a firing range, urban operations, command and control mentorship in a joint operational headquarters, and counter-illicit trafficking.

Tradewinds 16 will also mark the first activation of the Canadian Forces’ Operational Support Hub (OSH) Latin America and the Caribbean. The hub serves as the in-theatre support platform for Canadian military personnel participating in the largest component of the exercise, in Jamaica.

Photos above – courtesy of Combat Camera – show Canadian military personnel taking part in Ex Tradewinds 2015.

For more on this story go to: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-navy-and-army-personnel-to-take-part-in-u-s-led-exercise-in-caribbean