Arthur W Radford (DD 968) - Naval Cruise Book

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Commander, South Atlantic Force United States Atlantic Fleet The Commander of the United States Navy ' s South Atlantic Force (USCOMSOLANT) serves as the main link between the U.S. Navy and the Navies of South America. USCOMSOLANT was established on 1 June 1958. The headquarters were first in Trinidad, West Indies- then in San Juan, Puerto Rico: and since December 1973 have been located at U.S. Naval Station, Roosevelt Roads. USCOMSOLANT has participated in annual UNITAS deployments since 1959 and in addi- tion has deployed to Africa for Operation Ami- ty , and the West African Training Cruise. As a naval sub-area commander, USCOMSO- LANT is responsible to the Commander in chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet for the Atlantic Command Area in the South Atlantic between the Tropic of Cancer and the Antarctic Circle. He exercises mil- itary command and operational control of all as- signed ships and units, and represents CIN- CLANTFLT with respect to naval matters in the countries in South America and Africa which fall within the Atlantic Command Area. USCOMSOLANT ' s mission with respect to UNITAS deployments is to conduct operations in South American waters with the combined forces of the U.S. Navy and participating South Ameri- can Navies. The navies take part in exercises in the areas of anti-submarine warfare, naval control of shipping, surface and air gunnery, and other naval operations, promoting the continued capability of those forces to ensure the security of vital sea lanes of communications in the Western Hemisphere. The concept of UNITAS was started in 1959 when Rear Admiral Edward C. Stephan, the first USCOMSOLANT, embarked on combined exer- cises which were held on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of South America. Plans for the concept and continuation of UNITAS were made at the Second Inter-American Naval Conference, held in June 1960. Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, then the Chief of Naval Operations, headed the U.S. delegation and nine Latin American countries were represented by their senior naval leaders. UNITAS exercises have been held every year since then.

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Origins Of The UISITAS Deployment II UNITAS is an annual training deployment in which maritime nations of South America operate with the United States Navy either bilaterally or in multi-national exercises. The deployment transits the Caribbean Sea and areas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and reinforces the strategic impor- tance of these vital sea lanes. The idea for a training deployment to South America was first conceived in 1959 and was de- veloped under the direction of the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Arleigh A. Burke. UNITAS has been conducted annually ever since. Original- ly, UNITAS was oriented toward anti-surface warfare. Successive years have added exercises in anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, electron- ic warfare, communications, seamanship, and Freeplays which employ all facets of naval war- fare. Most recently, amphibious operations, naval gunfire support, helicopter crossdecking, mine warfare, and Coast Guard operations have also been incorporated into the deployment. The operational exercises conducted under the aegis of UNITAS are unique in that no formal governmental agreements govern their execution. For the entire history of the deployment, from the conduct of planning to the actual operations at sea, UNITAS has been a joint effort. Because it is formulated and implemented with an emphasis on cooperative efforts, UNITAS has historically been of mutual benefit to the respec- tive participating Navies. Senior South American naval officers who have been involved in UNITAS during its lengthy history consistently give strong support to continuing these operations. While exercises at-sea are the primary focus of the deployment, inport activities support UNITAS objectives as well. These activities center on train- ing symposiums as well as humanitarian and com- munity relations projects undertaken by the U.S. sailors working in concert with South American Naval personnel. A positive atmosphere results from these close Navy-to-Navy relationships. A primary objective of this year ' s UNITAS is to continue building upon these solid traditions hemispheric naval coop- eration. UNITAS 1 4

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REAR ADMIRAL WILLIAM C FRANCIS Commander, South Atlantic Force, U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET COMSOL ANT 16