U.S. Completes Bilateral Naval Exercise Nautical Defender in Arabian Gulf

By U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs | May 22, 2025

Photos

U.S. Marines form a tactical position for a field exercise training during exercise Nautical Defender (ND) 25 in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ND 25 is the capstone in a series of multi-national maritime security exercises designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (May 17, 2025) U.S. Marines form a tactical position for a field exercise training during exercise Nautical Defender (ND) 25 in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ND 25 is the capstone in a series of multi-national maritime security exercises designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. (Photo by Spc. Jesus Morales)

A U.S. Sailor provides security to members of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces for land improvised explosive devise response training during exercise Nautical Defender (ND) 25 in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ND 25 is the capstone in a series of multi-national maritime security exercises designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (May 16, 2025) A U.S. Sailor provides security to members of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces for land improvised explosive devise response training during exercise Nautical Defender (ND) 25 in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ND 25 is the capstone in a series of multi-national maritime security exercises designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. (Photo by Spc. Jesus Morales)

A U.S. Sailor descends the water during a limpet mine training during exercise Nautical Defender (ND) 25 in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ND 25 is the capstone in a series of multi-national maritime security exercises designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (May 13, 2025) A U.S. Sailor descends the water during a limpet mine training during exercise Nautical Defender (ND) 25 in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ND 25 is the capstone in a series of multi-national maritime security exercises designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. (Photo by Spc. Jesus Morales)

A U.S. Sailor conducts a functions check on the EOD 10E bomb suit during exercise Nautical Defender (ND) 25 in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ND 25 is the capstone in a series of multi-national maritime security exercises designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (May 12, 2025) A U.S. Sailor conducts a functions check on the EOD 10E bomb suit during exercise Nautical Defender (ND) 25 in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ND 25 is the capstone in a series of multi-national maritime security exercises designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. (Photo by Spc. Jesus Morales)

Naval forces from the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia participated in Nautical Defender in the Arabian Gulf, May 10-19.

Nautical Defender is a weeklong maritime exercise designed to build and sustain combined warfighting capabilities, support long-term regional security and enhance military-to-military interoperability between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"Nautical Defender is an excellent opportunity to strengthen tactical proficiency and to support long-term relationships with our Saudi counterparts," said U.S. Navy Capt. Brian Reitter, commander of Task Force 56. "This type of comprehensive exercise enables us to pool our resources with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces to create a truly challenging and realistic training environment."

This year’s exercise integrated unmanned systems and focused on maritime security, explosive ordnance disposal, mine countermeasures and other drills ashore and at sea.

The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes 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.