§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy ships and nations were to have been involved in exercise Tradewinds 01; and what the purpose of the exercise was to be. [38948]
§ Mr. IngramThe Atlantic Patrol Task (North) ship, HMS Sheffield, participated in the US sponsored exercise Tradewinds 01 between 26 April and 3 May 2001. In addition to UK and US forces involvement, the Regional Security Systems States (Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Dominica) participated in the exercise along with Trinidad and Tobago. The main purpose of the exercise was to establish a framework for the Caribbean ground and maritime forces to conduct joint and coalition training. 31W Within this framework, the aim was to promote regional interoperability, enhance participants' ability to conduct small to medium scale operations in a multinational environment and to improve their ability to respond to disaster relief, search and rescue and law enforcement operations.