MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US nuke carrier in S. Atlantic exercises with Argentine Navy

USS George Washington

The huge nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington has reached Argentine waters ready to begin annual naval exercises with its Argentine counterpart in the South Atlantic

The 2008 edition, named Gaucho-Gringo is described by the Buenos Aires media as an excellent opportunity for the Argentine navy Super Etandards to operate from a carrier since the country no longer has the 25 de Mayo and is limited to joint practices with the Brazilian navy carrier Sao Paulo. This is the third time in 20 years that the US Navy participates with nuclear carriers, (Kitty Hawk and Ronald Reagan) in exercises with South American navies. This year's Unitas exercise edition begun in Brazilian waters, with the participation of Brazilian, US and Argentine vessels and now continues with Argentina playing the leading role. In Buenos Aires the fact naval exercises are taking place is seen as a significant improvement in military relations with the US, which foundered when Washington insisted on the President Nestor Kirchner administration that Argentina should support and approve special congressional immunity for US troops. This caused the freeze of US/Argentine military exercises in Argentina during several years. The USS George Washington and its support task force will not be docking in Argentine ports precisely to avoid having to request special immunity for US military personnel. USS George Washington belongs to the Nimitz class, has a displacement of 97.000 tons and carries 90 aircrafts and a crew of 6.250. On service since 1992, the nuclear powered vessel is 333 meters long, 78 wide and its superstructure is 74 meters high. Chilean vessels will join the Gaucho-Gringo South Atlantic exercises. However Uruguay will again be absent since the Socialist oriented current administration is contrary to military exercises with the US. However Uruguayan navy vessels and aircrafts have participated in the US backed Panamax exercises in the Caribbean. The Uruguayan Navy is scheduled to hold naval exercises, --"Aguas Claras"--, with its Brazilian counterpart in both countries waters. Later in the year Brazil and Uruguay will join South Africa in "Atlasur" exercises off the African coast. By then Uruguay expects to have two new refurbished frigates acquired from the Portuguese navy.