KEY WEST, Fla. -- A massive military exercise involving 45,000 troops and 60 warships will get under way in the Caribbean later this month in yet another signal to Cuba of the U.S. intention to maintain a presence in the troubled region.
Navy officials said Tuesday the exercise, called 'Ocean Venture 82,' would run from April 22 until May 16. It will draw from all branches of the service and will include a mock Marine invasion of Puerto Rico, the use of B-52 bombers, two carrier battle groups and airborne warning and control system aircraft.
In addition, the Dutch destroyer Tjerk Hiddes carrying 350 seamen and marines will participate. The two U.S. carriers involved will be the USS Independence and the USS Forrestal.
It will be the third, and largest, military exercise in the Caribbean Basin this year. 'Operation Safe Pass' was conducted in March and the five-week 'Readex 82' is currently underway.
Navy officials said 'Ocean Venture 82' is designed to 'demonstrate and improve the capability of the United States to protect and maintain the free use of sea lanes in the Caribbean basin and the Gulf of Mexico.'
Rear Admiral Robert P. McKenzie, commander of U.S. Forces-Caribbean at Key West, said the exercise would 'show Cuba that we are very capable of projecting significant power into this region. We're hoping people would begin to notice.
'The Caribbean basis is so vital to U.S. interests... a region we have neglected for far too long. There is a very real, serious threat not only to the region but also to the United States.'
'Ocean Venture 82' will include a simulated U.S. attempt to impede the flow of arms shipments to Central America by a mock country called 'Brown.'
Field training events involving the deployment of forces will be held in the Caribbean and gulf and at military bases at Guantanamo, Cuba, Puerto Rico and in Florida.
The $12 million exercise will involve U.S military units from Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Norfolk, Va.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Camp LeJuene, N.C.; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Carswell AFB, Texas; Moody AFB, Georgia; and Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.
Also units from the Virgin Islands National Guard, Puerto Rican Air and Army National Guards and the Coast Guard will participated.
Air force bases in Florida involved in the exercise include Tyndall, Kelly, Eglin and MacDill.
More than 350 aircraft will take part in the training, flying from bases in Florida and Georgia to conduct operations in the gulf.
Unconventional warfare training, simulating guerrilla warfare, will be conducted at Eglin AFB and King Bays, Ga.
