Jordan and NAVCENT Conduct Maritime Security Exercise Infinite Defender

The Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) completed training exercise Infinite Defender 21, Sept. 29.

Infinite Defender is an annual bilateral exercise between the JAF and U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard forces from NAVCENT focused on maritime infrastructure protection, explosive ordnance disposal, and anti-terrorism force protection.

“This was an excellent opportunity for our tri-service maritime forces to train and learn alongside our JAF counterparts,” said Capt. Karl Haywood, commander of Task Force (TF) 56, who led the planning and completion of the exercise. “We had Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen practicing a wide variety of skill sets, enhancing our ability to respond to maritime security threats alongside our Jordanian partners.”

Training topics included visit, board, search and seizure; field medicine; diving; anti-terrorism force protection; explosive ordnance disposal (EOD); and a live fire exercise between U.S. Marines and their JAF counterparts. 

Participating U.S. forces included a Navy EOD team, U.S. Marine Corps platoon, Coast Guard maritime engagement team, and medical and health engagement teams.

The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 21 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.