Photo Information

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Brian Ecarius, the senior representative from U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, addresses a group of U.S. and partner nation Marines and Sailors during a question and answer portion of a multinational amphibious planning conference to highlight the significance of integration and interoperability with partner nations in Ancon, Peru, July 16, 2021. Amphibious partners from Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, and the United States gathered at the newly established International Amphibious Training Center to share experiences, tactics, and lessons learned related to amphibious operations.

Photo by Maj. Thomas Perna

Peruvian Marine Corps host Multinational Amphibious Planning Conference

22 Jul 2021 | Maj. Thomas Perna The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

The Peruvian Marine Corps hosted the second annual Multinational Amphibious Planners Conference at the new International Amphibious Training Center on July 16.

Partner nation naval infantry representatives from Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, and the United States gathered at the newly established International Amphibious Training Center to share experiences, tactics, and lessons learned related to amphibious operations. The collection of regional partners briefed and discussed topics on amphibious capabilities, emerging threats, and organizational changes and challenges, all of which allowed participants to share institutional knowledge to enhance partners’ capabilities throughout the Latin American and Caribbean region.

“Discussing key topics with our partners about how each of us operate allows us all to benefit while developing our relationships and becoming more interoperable,” said Maj. Matthew Paull, U.S. Marine Corps Personnel Exchange Program officer with the Peruvian Marine Corps.

“Being alongside like-minded naval infantries and having educated discussions is extremely important.” Maj. Matthew Paull, Personnel Exchange Program officer

The International Amphibious Training Center was established in 2019 to create a facility that serves as the model for Latin American and Caribbean partners to train and enhance their amphibious capabilities through education and practical application.

The training center aims to serve as the amphibious center of excellence ultimately allowing Peruvian naval forces to export security not only for countries in the western hemisphere, but with hopes of expanding their professional and institutional knowledge globally.

The primary objective of this Multinational Amphibious Planning Conference was to maintain and develop the professional relationships of amphibious forces in the hemisphere while having a meaningful dialogue on key aspects of amphibious operations, planning considerations, and most important, interoperability.

“Our vision toward the future is to have an integrated task organization with the purpose of being the most flexible, rapid, secure, and effective response of our country against any kind of threat, natural disaster, or crisis,” said Peruvian Navy Capt. Eduardo Diaz, commander of the Peruvian amphibious brigade, and senior Peruvian representative at the conference. “Also, we look forward to being part of a multinational amphibious task force to fight against our common threats and to support the endangered communities who are suffering as a result of a disaster.”

 

A Warm Welcome Photo by Maj. Thomas Perna
Rear Admiral José Enrique Hernandez Samanez, Commandant of the Peruvian Marine Corps, welcomes the multinational group to the Ancon Naval Base for a multinational amphibious planning conference hosted by the Peruvian Marine Corps in Ancon, Peru, Jul. 16, 2021. Amphibious partners from Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, and the United States gathered at the newly established International Amphibious Training Center to share experiences, tactics, and lessons learned related to amphibious operations.

The conference also covered topics on naval integration, amphibious force design, the current and future operating environment, and how naval infantries are designing capabilities to operate effectively. Members of the Peruvian naval infantry, as well as service members from Argentina, Brazil and the United States who are embedded as Personnel Exchange Program officers in the Peruvian Navy, presented briefs during the conference, which inspired multinational discussion.

“Interoperability with partners while acknowledging each of our strengths and area to improve is essential to the success of our naval cooperation,” said Col. Brian Ecarius, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South’s senior representative at the conference. “Peru has done an outstanding job at developing a capable amphibious force and cultivating an environment of partnerships and professional education through its International Amphibious Training Center.”

Peru’s storied naval force, which includes both its Navy and Marine Corps, will celebrate their 200th anniversary this year along with their country. In conjunction with their bicentennial, Peru is also the host of exercise UNITAS LXII 2021 that will take place in September in which the Peruvian Navy will serve as the lead of the naval combined task force. UNITAS is the world’s longest-running, maritime exercise and brings multinational forces together to conduct planning and amphibious operations. The conference served as one of several planned touchpoints at the training center that support exercise UNITAS and multinational amphibious operations.