Officials said Phoenix Express would focus on interdiction and
counter-insurgency missions. Since April 19, they said, Morocco and Senegal
have been training for the exercise with the U.S. Navy's Fleet
Anti-terrorism Security Team in Rota, Spain.
"The FAST Marines are working with our Spanish host to help train and
prepare our North African partners for maritime security operations, which
is key in our combined readiness to address the security challenges we face
at sea," Beck said.
The United States has sought to enhance maritime security capabilities
of its North African allies. Officials said Africom has been facilitating
exercises and training to Morocco and other regional states, including the
use of air operations to battle illegal immigration as well as narcotics and
weapons trafficking.
During the current training course, scheduled to end on May 7, the U.S.
Navy helped teams from Morocco and Senegal in live-fire, helicopter rope
suspension techniques, close quarters battle, and marine martial arts. They
said the U.S. Navy envisions participation by Morocco and other allies in
joint maritime security patrols in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean.
"We want to ensure we are providing exceptional support to our
warfighters," U.S. Navy Capt. Bill Mosk, commander at the base in Rota,
Spain, said.
ShareThis
