Exercise Phoenix Express 2024 Kicks Off in Tunisia

Phoenix Express is a multinational maritime exercise sponsored by U.S. Africa Command and executed by Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet. It brings together North African, European, and U.S. maritime forces as part of a global network of navies to enhance cooperation and expertise in maritime security operations in the Southern Mediterranean Sea.

This year marks the 19^th iteration of Phoenix Express. The 10-day exercise is designed to improve regional cooperation as well as enhance maritime domain awareness, information-sharing practices, and tactical interdiction expertise, all of which bolster the collective capabilities of participating nations in countering sea-based illicit activity.

“The quality and level of skill the Phoenix Express participants bring to our collective maritime capabilities in the Southern Mediterranean Sea is unparalleled,” said Rear Admiral Jason Naidyhorski, Vice Commander, U.S. 6^th Fleet. “Year after year, nations throughout Europe and Africa return to this exercise to build on already strong partnerships, with a shared goal of reinforcing a safe and secure North Africa, and Mediterranean. The type of training we see here has evolved with each iteration, and this year is no exception.”

Phoenix Express demonstrates high-level capabilities, split between land-based and sea-based phases, and will feature the use of maritime operations centers and a multinational coordination center to enhance information-sharing practices among partners, as well as exercises in ship-boarding, and search and rescue drills. The individual events throughout the exercise will provide participating maritime forces the opportunity to work together, share information, and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures to promote maritime safety and security in the region.

“The foundational partnership and the exceptional bilateral cooperation between the United States and Tunisia, especially in the maritime realm, go back over 200 years. In recent years, Tunisia has led the way in fighting illicit maritime activities, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work side-by-side with Tunisia and other regional allies and partners in a variety of critical areas during this exercise,” said Joey Hood, U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia.

This year, the Commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet will be working alongside African partners to incorporate the use of unmanned systems to demonstrate their use in deterring and detecting illegal actives in African exclusive economic zones.    

Participating nations in Phoenix Express include Algeria, Belgium, Georgia, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Türkiye, Senegal, and the United States.

Phoenix Express is one of three regional maritime exercises led by U.S. Naval Forces Africa as part of a comprehensive strategy to provide collaborative opportunities to African forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns.

Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa.