Tradewinds 2018 exercises take place on New Providence

Tradewinds 2018 exercises take place on New Providence
Officers of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) undergo a Tradewinds 2018 military training exercise in June 2018. (BIS)

Tradewinds 2018 military training participants from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), and Mexico, performed a drill with the scenario of a possible car bomb attack Monday on New Providence.

Uniformed forces were drilled on area protection, searching suspicious vehicles, detaining and pursuing opposition personnel, and providing assistance and protection to an injured comrade.

Tradewinds 2018 is an annual regional military training exercise that is being held in The Bahamas June 14-21; this year’s exercise focuses on Countering Transnational Organized crime in the region. The main objective of the military event is to foster training for security forces that are “tailored for the region by the region,” and is sponsored by the United States Southern Command.

Twenty-two partner nations of the Caribbean region, wider Americas and Western Europe, comprising over 800 troops, are participating in the exercise. The Bahamas last hosted the event in 2009.