Operation Allies Welcome

Senior leaders from several partner nations pose for a photograph with the U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, on the official opening day of exercise UNITAS LXIII at Ilha do Governador, Rio de Janeiro, Sept. 8, 2022. UNITAS, which is Latin for ‘unity,’ is the world's longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise that brings together forces from 19 countries to include Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and the United States. The exercise focuses on enhancing interoperability among multiple nations and joint forces during littoral and amphibious operations in order to build on existing regional partnerships and create new enduring relationships that promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Maj. Jeremy Wheeler)