US, Ecuadorian Navies conduct joint maritime exercise

The Ecuadorian and US Navies conducted a bilateral maritime exercise as part of US Naval Forces Southern Command/US Fourth Fleet’s Southern Seas 2026 deployment in the Pacific Ocean from April 7 to 8.

The exercise included participation by the Ecuadorian Esmeraldas-class missile corvettes BAE Manabi and BAE Loja , Ecuadorian A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley, and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and MH-60 Sea Hawks assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17.

Training conducted included subject matter expert exchanges, simulated maritime interdiction operations scenarios, a live-fire gunnery exercise, manoeuvring in formation, and an air defence exercise.