MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UNITAS naval exercise in South Atlantic.

Beginning this week navies from several South American countries, Spain and United States will be participating in the annual Unitas exercise that deploys surface vessels, submarines and air support in the South Atlantic.

The regional countries participating in the 45 edition of Unitas which will extend until the end of the month are Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay plus Peru.

Most operations will take place in Argentine territorial waters between Mar del Plata and Puerto Madryn, having Puerto Belgrano as the operational base.

The exercise according to Argentine naval sources will include defensive and offensive operations against air, submarine and surface threats; supplying and bunkering in high seas, communications and electronic warfare.

Spain will be participating with three vessels; Uruguay and Peru with one each; Brazil with two, United States with the USS Robert Bradley, USS Stump plus Sea Hawk helicopters, Orion exploration aircraft and possibly F-16 fighter bombers.

Argentina's contribution are the destroyer ARA Heroina; corvettes ARA Espora, Rosales and Parker; logistics support vessel ARA Patagonia; sub Santa Cruz and air naval support group 2.

According to the Buenos Aires press, Argentina's participation in the naval deployment will help make up for a recent decision that forced the cancelling of joint air and land exercises in the north of the country involving forces from United States and Mercosur member countries.

"Aguila III" was to take place in Mendoza but the Argentine Congress did not approve total immunity for US troops as requested by the President Bush administration thus forcing their cancellation.