Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) completed the International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 19 Main Planning Conference (MPC) on board Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Feb. 13.

The IMX MPC had more than 62 participants from 22 partner nations. The objective of the MPC was for participating nations to continue detailed planning of the exercise and focus future planning efforts, while assigning responsibility to the 50 nations and numerous organizations with heavy participation from the Merchant Marine Industry.

The International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 19 is designed to demonstrate global resolve to maintain freedom of navigation and the free flow of maritime commerce; deter threats to freedom of navigation; and build interoperability and familiarity with maritime security partners to enable rapid formation of a coalition force.

“On the strategic level, we’re conducting this exercise to show global resolve to maintain freedom of navigation and the free flow of maritime commerce; and at the operational level, this gives us an opportunity to receive, stage, organize and execute a multinational maritime force to respond to regional crises,” said NAVCENT Commander Vice Adm. Jim Malloy. “At the tactical level, we have a great opportunity to practice important functions and missions to build our capability, capacity and interoperability.”

The international maritime force will demonstrate global resolve in maintaining freedom of navigation, and the free flow of maritime commerce from the Suez Canal south to the Bab al-Mandeb, through the Strait of Hormuz to the Northern Arabian Gulf, while utilizing aspects of defensive maritime warfare including maritime interdiction operations; visit, board, search and seizure; air defense; maritime infrastructure protection and special operations.

IMX 19 is currently scheduled from Oct. 21-Nov. 12.

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 and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 20 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.

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