MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine-Chilean combined exercises in South Atlantic

Argentine and Chilean naval forces participated last week in joint exercises in the South Atlantic with the purpose of increasing the two navies' capabilities and in a near future operating as a “Multinational Task Force”.

The whole operation in the framework of the annual Integration exercises involved two Chilean missile frigates, "Ministro Zenteno" and "Almirante Lynch", plus the Argentine destroyer "Sarandí", frigate "Rosales", and auxiliary fleet tanker "Patagonia" which are currently docked in Punta Arenas.

Chile contributed with 520 servicemen and Argentina, 500.

Exercises included high seas supplying, joint helicopter operations alternating landing pads, radar and tracking techniques, interlocking and communications as well as high seas crew exchange.

Chilean units took off from Puerto Williams, the Argentine from Ushuaia and joined at the Beagle channel from where they sailed through the Chilean channels finally calling in Punta Arenas. Chilean destroyer "Pratt" and oil tanker "Araucano" will be joining the task force for the next stage of the exercise.

Rear Admiral Gerardo Cocacevich commander of Chilean Navy Operations and his Argentine counterpart R/A Eduardo Luis Avilés praised the ease and efficiency with which both forces, command and crews interacted.

"Not only are our capabilities coordinated operationally but also institutionally", underlined R/A Cocacevich who recalled the ongoing bilateral cooperation under the Viekaren joint exercises with the Combined Antarctic Naval Patrol particularly in summer months during the cruise season.

Other areas of bilateral cooperation are the joint peace missions under United Nations command and the agreement to build fast high seas patrol vessels for Argentina in Chilean navy yards.