Over the summer, U.S. troops working alongside the Panamanian military completed PANAMAX-Alpha 2025, a bilateral training exercise done in three phases and aimed at protecting the key maritime strategic choke point of the Panama Canal.
Security forces were put through a variety of training taskings with the goal of increasing regional security and to build a solid working relationship with Panamanian forces. "The Panamanian Security Force’s performance in terms of capability, qualifications and ownership of the exercise reflects growing professionalism, strong institutional investment and a clear assertion of national leadership," explained U.S. Army Lt. Col. Innis E. Bryant, the chief of Joint Exercises Branch within Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which had led the coordination of the exercise.
Phase 0 of the exercise was held in April and March and focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness. Phase 1, Part 1, was held in July and focused on air mobility, tactical operations, and maritime operations. Phase 1, Part 2, was held in July and August and culminated in a multi-day exercise that simulated threats to the Panama Canal. American and Panamanian forces trained for rapid deployment in response to multiple contingencies.
"The exercise simulates real-world challenges and is structured to train forces across a wide spectrum of military and humanitarian operations and one of the most important is the defense of the Panama Canal," Bryant said.
Participating in the exercise were personnel from the Navy SEALs, Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal divers, the Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team (MSTRE), and members of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) who work with special operations forces when dealing with nuclear and radiological threats.