Maritime engagement in Pacific conducted by Ecuador and U.S. navies
NewsApril 10, 2026
PACIFIC OCEAN. The Ecuadorian and U.S. navies carried out a bilateral maritime engagement on April 7-8 during U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Southern Seas 2026 deployment, the U.S. Navy announced in a statement.
According to the statement, the event focused on interoperability and included Ecuadorian Esmeraldas-class missile corvettes BAE Manabi and BAE Loja, Ecuadorian A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, the destroyer USS Gridley, and F/A-18 Super Hornets and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17. Training included subject matter expert exchanges, simulated maritime interdiction operations, a live-fire gunnery exercise, formation maneuvering, and an air defense exercise, the statement reads.
The USS Nimitz also hosted a visit by senior Ecuadorian government and military officials, who met with U.S. Navy leaders to discuss the Southern Seas 2026 mission and the security relationship between Ecuador and the United States, according to the statement. The visitors also observed flight operations and an airpower demonstration from the carrier’s flight deck.
The U.S. Navy says the engagement was part of a broader mission to strengthen regional maritime partnerships through exchanges focused on operational knowledge and training.
