Panama to host multinational PANAMAX exercise Aug. 3-13

By CourtesyAugust 3, 2026

Panama to host multinational PANAMAX exercise Aug. 3-13
1 / 2 U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob Castillo, Joint Task Force-Bravo Protocol noncommissioned officer in charge, holds the American flag next to a member of Panama’s Guardia Presidencial at the PANAMAX 2026 Opening Ceremony at Panama Pacifico International Airport, Panama, Aug. 3, 2026. PANAMAX 2026 seeks to improve interoperability and strengthen collective capacity to conduct complex multinational and all-domain operations to ensure free flow of commerce through the Panama Canal and maintain security and stability in the region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ethan Sherwood) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Ethan Sherwood) View original
U.S. Army and Panamanian partners visit children from San Jose de Malamba Home
2 / 2 Capt. Briana Wolfe, assigned to the Joint Security Cooperation Group-Panama, interacts with a child from San Jose de Malamba Home during a youth outreach event in Arraijan, Panama, July 3, 2026. The purpose of the event was to engage with local communities and further the relationship between U.S. and Panamanian partners. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alyssa Norton) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Alyssa Norton) View original

PANAMA PACIFICO, Panama (Aug. 3, 2026) – Panama is set to host participants from 18 partner nations, including the United States, for the PANAMAX 2026 exercise Aug. 3-13, 2026. PANAMAX 2026 will provide participating nations an opportunity to conduct combined security and stability operations to enhance their joint-operations capabilities. The field-training exercise will focus on a coalition response to a notional scenario and will leverage a holistic, integrated approach against simulated threats to the Panama Canal and the region.

Panama to host multinational PANAMAX exercise Aug. 3-13
1 / 2 Ministro de Seguridad Pública, Frank Alexis Abrego, gives his remarks at the PANAMAX 2026 Opening Ceremony at Panama Pacifico International Airport, Panama, Aug. 3, 2026. (Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ethan Sherwood) View original
Panama to host multinational PANAMAX exercise Aug. 3-13
2 / 2 U.S. servicemembers and U.S. government officials attend the PANAMAX 2026 Opening Ceremony at Panama Pacifico International Airport, Panama, Aug. 3, 2026. (Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ethan Sherwood) View original

Participating nations will include Panama, Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, the United Kingdom and the United States. The scope of nations represented in this year’s exercise reflects a collective recognition of the importance of the Panama Canal as a vital maritime waterway and the ever-increasing collaborative partnership between public security and defense forces in the region.

Panama will be the exercise host, and the United States will co-lead the four force components. Alongside their U.S. counterparts, Argentina will co-lead the special operations forces component, Chile will co-lead the maritime component, Colombia will co-lead the air component, and Peru will co-lead the ground component.

JOTC-P 26-06: CULEX
1 / 3 U.S. service members and Panamanian partners, all candidates of the Jungle Operations Training Course - Panama, participate in a culminating exercise at Aeronaval Base Cristóbal Colón, Panamá, June 30, 2026. The combined jungle training enables U.S. and Panamanian personnel to operate seamlessly together, building mutual trust, shared tactics and the ability to respond effectively to shared challenges like transnational crime and regional instability. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Carolyn Dodge) (Photo Credit: Pfc. Carolyn Dodge) View original
Joint Task Force - Bravo conducts a Sling Load operation to assist local Panamanian community
2 / 3 A UH-60 Blackhawk, assigned to Joint Task Force - Bravo, flies away after delivering a sling load in Mayo, Ngabe-Bugle Comarca, Panama, July 7, 2026. The purpose is to help students and local community members commute across the Cricamola River, an area prone to flash flooding. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Carolyn Dodge) (Photo Credit: Pfc. Carolyn Dodge) View original
Joint Task Force-Bravo collaborates with Servicio Nacional Aeronaval to deliver bridge materials
3 / 3 U.S. Army Sgt. Guadalupe Guillen, Headquarters Support Company horizontal engineer sergeant, assists a local in picking up a bag of concrete at Mayo, Comarca Ngabe-Bugle, Panama, July 20, 2026. JTF-Bravo CH-47 Chinook helicopters sling-loaded bridge construction materials to a village in Comarca Ngabe-Bugle. The delivery of the materials is necessary to enable safe, consistent access for local children in the community to school. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ethan Sherwood) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Ethan Sherwood) View original

This year marks the first time in 14 years that PANAMAX is conducted as a live multinational exercise in Panama as well as a command post exercise, both in Panama and the U.S.

PANAMAX 2026 Strengthens Multinational Cooperation Across the Western Hemisphere
1 / 2 Partner nation representatives engage during the PANAMAX 2026 Final Planning Conference in Panama City, Panama, May 21, 2026. The conference provided participating nations the opportunity to finalize operational planning, build relationships, and strengthen multinational coordination ahead of PANAMAX 2026, a coalition exercise focused on regional security cooperation and combined response capabilities. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Richard Morgan) (Photo Credit: Spc. Richard Morgan) View original
PANAMAX 2026 Strengthens Multinational Cooperation Across the Western Hemisphere
2 / 2 Comisionado Luis Rodríguez, National Director of Teaching, engages with media during the PANAMAX 2026 Final Planning Conference in Panama City, Panama, May 21, 2026. The conference highlighted multinational coordination efforts designed to strengthen coalition readiness, improve interoperability, and reinforce the shared commitment to protecting the Panama Canal and the Western Hemisphere to ensure regional stability. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Richard Morgan) (Photo Credit: Spc. Richard Morgan) View original

For updated information about PANAMAX 2026, visit the PANAMAX 2026 DVIDS page at www.dvidshub.net/feature/Panamax26 and the U.S. Southern Command website at www.southcom.mil, or contact U.S. Southern Command by email at southcom.miami.sc-cc.list.cmd-public-affairs@mail.mil.

ESPAÑOL:

Panamá será sede del ejercicio multinacional PANAMAX del 3 al 13 de agosto

PANAMÁ PACÍFICO, Panamá (3 de agosto de 2026) – Panamá se prepara para recibir a participantes de 18 naciones socias, incluido Estados Unidos, para el ejercicio PANAMAX 2026 del 3 al 13 de agosto de 2026. PANAMAX 2026 brindará a las naciones participantes la oportunidad de llevar a cabo operaciones combinadas de seguridad y estabilidad para mejorar sus capacidades de operaciones conjuntas. El ejercicio de entrenamiento en el campo se centrará en una respuesta de coalición a un escenario hipotético y aprovechará un enfoque holístico e integrado contra amenazas simuladas al Canal de Panamá y la región.

Las naciones participantes incluirán a Panamá, Argentina, Belice, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, República Dominicana, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, México, Países Bajos, Paraguay, Perú, el Reino Unido y Estados Unidos. El alcance de las naciones representadas en el ejercicio de este año refleja un reconocimiento colectivo de la importancia del Canal de Panamá como una vía marítima vital y la creciente asociación colaborativa entre las fuerzas de seguridad pública y defensa y las fuerzas de seguridad pública en la región.

Panamá será el anfitrión del ejercicio, y Estados Unidos codirigirá los cuatro componentes de fuerza. Junto a sus homólogos estadounidenses, Argentina codirigirá el componente de fuerzas de operaciones especiales, Chile codirigirá el componente marítimo, Colombia codirigirá el componente aéreo y Perú codirigirá el componente terrestre.

Este año marca la primera vez en 14 años que PANAMAX se lleva a cabo como un ejercicio multinacional en vivo en Panamá, así como un ejercicio de puesto de mando, tanto en Panamá como en los EE. UU.

Para obtener información actualizada sobre PANAMAX 2026, visite la página DVIDS de PANAMAX 2026 enwww.dvidshub.net/feature/Panamax26y el sitio web del Comando Sur de EE. UU. enwww.southcom.mil, o comuníquese con el Comando Sur de EE. UU. por correo electrónico asouthcom.miami.sc-cc.list.cmd-public-affairs@mail.mil.

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