Part of the exercise involves deployment of Military Sealift Command rescue and salvage ship USNS Grasp, HSV 2 Swift, a Mobile Diving Salvage Unit and training of divers from the region.

The monthlong exercises are to continue to late June and will take U.S. forces and collaborators to Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, the Commonwealth of Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The exercises are part of a 5-month naval deployment throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America called High Speed Vessel-Southern Partnership Station.

HSV-SPS aims to strengthen regional partnerships and maritime security through training and subject matter exchanges, the Southern Command said in a news release.

"The High Speed Vessel-2 Swift -- one of the world's most advanced naval vessels -- is the deployment's platform and is transporting U.S. military training teams to conduct maritime training with regional civil and maritime services from 10 countries," the Southern Command said.

Independent of the U.S. exercises Latin American countries announced plans earlier for modernization of naval and river craft and facilities used in immigration control and combating drug crimes. Brazil launched a multibillion-dollar plan to beef up its coastal defenses to protection offshore hydrocarbon resources.

HSV Swift will make a variety of port visits to make U.S. naval expertise available to host nations' maritime services, the command said.

"Security is the foundation for stable, prosperous and democratic institutions. HSV-SPS 10 provides opportunities for the participating nations to come together and join efforts to enhance regional maritime security," the statement said.

HSV-2 Swift left Mayport, Fla., May 5 and is to visit Barbados, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Suriname.

The mission, led by U.S. Navy Capt. Kurt Hedberg, is directed by U.S. Southern Command and coordinated through U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet with partner nations to meet their specific training requests.

The exercise team includes Naval Criminal Investigative Service security training assistance and assessment team. Overall security of Caribbean ports, risk management and meeting medical emergencies are among tasks that training teams will focus on while dealing with local crews.

The U.S. Navy conducted five similar SPS deployments in the past few years. In 2007, HSV Swift conducted thousands of hours of training for more than 1,000 host nation military and civilian personnel during 12 visits to seven countries. In 2008, USNS Grasp gave training in maritime security dive operations to forces in seven Caribbean nations. 

In late 2008 and early 2009, the HSV Swift provided additional training and in the summer of 2009, USS Oak Hill deployed off the Atlantic coast of South America to conduct combined naval and amphibious operations with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. Later in 2009, USS Wasp conducted partnership exercises that lasted three months.

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