Brazilian ship carried out exercises with friendly navies in the Gulf of Guinea
By First Lieutenant (T) Taise da Silva Oliveira – Rio de Janeiro, RJ
The “Liberal” frigate, a Brazilian Navy escort ship, docked at the Rio de Janeiro Naval Base on Thursday morning (12), after being deployed in the 3rd edition of Operation “GUINEX”. On board were 280 crew members, who had been away from their families for more than two months, conducting exercises with friendly navies in order to promote maritime security on the west coast of the African continent.
Started on August 6, the operation sought to increase the Brazilian Navy’s presence in the Gulf of Guinea and interoperability between the navies and coast guards in the region, as well as raising the level of training of the crews involved. The Brazilian Task Group (GT) was also made up of a Combat Diver Detachment and a UH-12 “Esquilo” aircraft from the 1st General Purpose Helicopter Squadron, embarked on the “Liberal” frigate.
During “GUINEX-III”, joint exercises were held in port and at sea with the navies and coast guards of São Tomé and Príncipe, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Cape Verde, as well as exercises with the navies of Portugal and Spain. For Rear Admiral André Luiz de Andrade Felix, Commander of the 2nd Fleet Division, who was in charge of the WG during the commission’s first phase, the operation helped to strengthen ties of friendship and cooperation between the countries, through their respective naval forces. “The exchange of experiences and training of our military personnel with navies and coast guards marked Brazil’s presence on the west coast of Africa, taking our flag to the African continent and strengthening diplomatic ties,” said the Commander of the WG, who was on board between August 6 and September 7.
The exercises included techniques for boarding, visiting and inspecting suspicious ships, maneuvering fast vessels, transiting under asymmetric threats and special operations techniques. Conducting exercises with friendly navies makes it possible to share experiences and procedures, maintaining operational capacity and also contributing to strengthening the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone (ZOPACAS), as stated by Rear Admiral Nelson de Oliveira Leite, Commander of the 1st Fleet Division, who took command of the Brazilian WG between September 7 and October 12. “The Navy carried out training and exercises with the aim of promoting interoperability with the regional forces, as well as being present in the maritime zones of the Gulf of Guinea and sharing experiences in operations that increased the perception of maritime security in our strategic surroundings,” he said.
In addition to the exercises, the Navy made donations to the African population. More than ten tons of donations were delivered, including food, clothing, uniforms and books. According to the Commander of the Frigate “Liberal”, Frigate Captain Rogerio Moreira Diniz, this was one of the important moments of the mission: “Among the various activities we carried out during the operation, the donations that were sent from Brazil to the African people were remarkable for all the military personnel. Seeing the people’s joy at receiving the donations and representing Brazil, our people, in helping those in need was remarkable.” Uniforms and communications equipment were also handed over to the Cape Verde Coast Guard, which will enable voice and data transmission over long distances during maritime operations.
The MB soldiers also held seminars for the soldiers of friendly navies on topics such as: boarding techniques, damage control training, electronic systems, first aid and pre-hospital care.
Meeting family members
On their return from the commission, the crew members were met by family members who had arrived early at the Naval Base. Lieutenant Fernando Camargo Duarte was welcomed by his parents, sister, wife and 10-month-old Otto. “We have just returned from our mission and I was honored and pleased to meet my family and see my son, who is now 10 months old. It was a surprise”.
Among the soldiers embarked on the “Liberal”, two experienced similar moments. Corporals Wemerson Silva Lisboa and Iuri Fernandes da Silva received the news of the birth of their children during the operation. “I’m very happy to return and meet my son Ravi, it was a great blessing during the commission,” said Corporal Iuri Fernandes. Corporal Lisboa was thrilled to hold little Isabela on his lap for the first time: “I’m very happy. I was really looking forward to this moment so that I could meet my daughter for the first time. It’s an indescribable moment”.
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias