Naval forces from Lebanon, the United States and regional partners completed a nine-day maritime exercise ashore and near the coast of Lebanon, July 18.
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) concluded exercise Resolute Union 2023 with counterparts from Egypt, France, Iraq, Jordan and the United Kingdom. This year’s iteration of the annual exercise focused on maritime awareness, operations, command and control, force protection and infrastructure defense.
More 100 international personnel participated, including nearly 20 service members from the United States. The NAVCENT cohort included experts on explosive ordnance disposal, civil affairs, maritime security, maritime law, joint planning and amphibious operations.
U.S. personnel solely participated in Resolute Union as observers and trainers this year, enabling LAF partners to carry out training drills as a team and enhance their maritime capabilities in key areas.
“We have conducted Resolute Union many years in the past, but this year the U.S. supported in an observer and trainer capacity,” said Lt. Cmdr. Antoni Wyszynski from U.S. 5th Fleet’s task force for expeditionary combat operations, Task Force 56. “It is good to see how other partner nations are coming together to support Lebanese forces to develop interoperability and support maritime security.”
Resolute Union exercises have fostered collaboration between Lebanese and U.S. armed forces for 23 years. In 2022, 60 U.S. service members conducted drills alongside their LAF counterparts on maritime security operations, mine countermeasures and explosive ordnance disposal.
NAVCENT is headquartered in Manama, Bahrain and includes U.S. forces operating in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.