MIAMI, USA – US Southern Command is hosting more than 1,500 US military personnel and nearly 500 security personnel from 19 nations for the multinational command post exercise, PANAMAX 2022, at various locations in the United States.
The exercise, held from August 1-12, 2022, provides opportunities for the participating nations to join efforts to counter threats posed by violent and dangerous groups, provide humanitarian relief as necessary, and maintain free and unfettered access to the Panama Canal.
Using various scenarios involving notional threats, the goal of PANAMAX is to provide participating forces an opportunity to conduct security and stability operations, practice interoperability, and strengthen their ability to plan and execute complex multinational operations. PANAMAX, a bi-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.
This US-sponsored exercise includes participants from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, and the United States.
Consistent with the ever-increasing collaborative partnership between defense and public-security forces in the region, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and the United States will share leadership roles within the multinational forces simulated as part of this year’s exercise.
This year, the United States is hosting PANAMAX from the headquarters of US Southern Command in Miami, Florida; Homestead Air Force Reserve Base, Florida; Naval Station Mayport, Florida; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
The PANAMAX exercise began in 2003 with three countries: Panama, Chile and the United States. Since, PANAMAX has become one of the largest coalition command post exercises in the world.