Cutlass Express military exercise assessed after intensive training |07 March 2024
By Patrick Joubert
High officers from the Seychelles Defences Forces (SDF) and the American Navy, along with journalists from different local media, were on board the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) patrol boat, Topaz, yesterday to watch a board, search, and seizure (VBSS) interdiction operation training exercise, as part of the 14th Cutlass Express 2024 military exercise.
The maritime non-compliant boarding practical exercise, taken in turns by the coast guard and navy personnel from participating countries namely Seychelles, Mauritius, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Mozambique and Tanzania, took place onboard the SCG patrol vessel, Le Vigilant, as the target vessel in the sea off St Anne Island.
The one and a half hour exercise was for the American instructors to assess their performance after one week enrollment under Cutlass Express training.
A total of 50 participants from seven regional countries are taking part in this 2024 edition training launched on February 26, 2024 at the Seychelles Military Training Support Centre (SMTC) in Perseverance.
The Cutlass Express military exercise is sponsored by US Africa Command (Africom) and conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa. The training is designed to assess and improve combined maritime law enforcement capacity and promote national and regional security in East Africa.
The exercise include in-port class training period followed by sea scenarios.
This maritime multi-lateral regional military exercise is for the participating nations to test their abilities to detect or disrupt illicit trafficking, piracy, illegal fishing, as well as search and rescue situations in port and at sea.
In an interview with the media, both the SDF public relations officer, Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col.) Archille Mondon, and the Cutlass Express exercise director, Captain Simon Hwang, said they were satisfied with the outcome of the boarding exercise which went really well “considering the tremendous progress made by the students from where they were at the beginning”, said Captain Hwang.
Lt Col. Mondon noted the Cutlass Express exercise is also taking place in Djibouti and in Kenya where Seychelles is being represented.
“These trainings are helping to build the capacities of countries in the region to work together in regional maritime operations,” Lt Col. Mondon said.
The military exercise will end on Friday.
The accompanying photos show some highlights of yesterday’s training exercise at sea.
Photos by Patrick Joubert
