A multi-national military exercise involving at least 19 nations is underway at Naval Station Mayport this week.
It's the 14th annual Panamax exercise, and this year it's happening on the heels of the newly expanded Panama Canal.
With the globe as their backdrop, top military brass from Brazil to Estonia gathered to discuss strategy inside a board room at NS Mayport.
According to U.S. Naval Rear Adm. Bob Greene, the focus is strategizing ways to best protect the Panama Canal.
“We plan scenarios, they are fictitious, but they are based in terms of real world events and how we would defend against that and work together,” said Greene.
Mobile units have been set up on base to conduct intelligence exercise. Cameras weren’t allowed inside because much of the information discussed is classified.
This year, Peruvian Rear Adm. Alberto Alcala is serving as the lead partner nation.
“We use the Panama Canal in order to trade in order to gain commerce for us. It's very important to maintain the security of the transit,” said Alcala.
Action News Jax traveled to the Panama Canal back in 2014 and saw the expansion work up close. Greene said the newly expanded canal doesn’t change the principals behind the exercise, but it does show its heightened significance.
“This is a critical access point to allow commerce and to maintain its neutrality in terms of who passes through the Panama Canal to ensure regional stability,” said Greene.
Greene and Alcala agree the exercise fosters a sense of camaraderie and teamwork between nations working for a common goal.
“The core theme is we want regional stability,” said Greene.
The Panamax exercise will last until Thursday, but the work doesn’t end there. Nations will travel to UNITAS, which means ‘unity’ in Latin, in September to continue working on training exercises.