Since the announcement of the start of UNITAS 2024, I have been looking for a more detailed list of participating units.

We already knew about US participants, including US Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team (TACLET) Pacific Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET); and USCG Maritime Security Response Team East (MSRTE) Direct Action Section, but had little information about non-US ships and aircraft involved.

Got a pleasant surprise in the form of an email from my Chilean connection, Andres Tavolari, providing a link to the information.

Andres was the author of one of the most widely read posts ever on this blog,

Three Nations Share German OPV Design             

That post was about an 80 meter Fassmer OPV design that was planned to be built in Argentina, Chile and Colombia. Chile built four. Colombia built three. Argentina dropped out of the program and instead bought four Bouchard (formerly L’Adroit) class OPVs. Germany subsequently built three 86 meter versions for their federal police force and Singapore has ordered four similar vessels.

Three of these 80-meter OPVs are participating in UNITAS 2024

The Chilean website provides a small side view graphic or silhouette for each ship and aircraft type along with the country the asset is from and a link to a photograph. In the case of the Chilean assets, there is additional descriptive information.

The website is in Spanish, but my browser provided an understandable translation.

Aircraft came from Chile, the US, Ecuador, and Uruguay.

19 ships and submarines were identified.

Chilean Navy participants include eight floating units: three frigates, two OPVs, an 42,000 ton oiler, a 12,000 ton French built LSD(H) that they have apparently used to resupply their Antarctic Station (video above), a small Landing Ship Tank (LST), and a submarine.

The US Navy has sent USS Germantown (LSD-42), USS St. Louis (LCS 19), and USS Hampton (SSN 767).

Argentina, Brazil, and Peru sent frigates. Ecuador sent a corvette. Mexico sent ARM Benito Juarez, classed as a long range ocean patrol ship, but really much more, being equipped with a CAPTAS-2 towed array active/passive sonar and armed with US sourced anti-ship Harpoon missiles and anti-air Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) and Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM). The UK sent a 5.000 ton ice capable patrol, survey, and support ship, HMS Protector.

The Chilean Navy has done a great job of providing accompanying video as well.

This year’s exercise will include cyber, and Fourth Fleet is also bringing some unmanned systems. There will also be a SINKEX.

Really, this is some of the best coverage of an exercise I have ever seen, and the underway portion hasn’t even started.

Andres also told me,

“At the same time, other American gear visited us: at least, a C-17 which brought an UH-60 and a HIMARS launcher with what appears to be a reloading truck.”