At the end of July the Portuguese Azores Military Command hosted the advanced Search and Rescue Exercise ASAREX 2021 with Portuguese, Canadian and US air and naval assets training cooperation to rescue persons in distress at sea. The Portuguese Air Base No 4 at Lajes, Terceira Island in the Azores was the venue for the air and naval forces from Portugal, the Canadian Air Force, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Coast Guard to train tactics, techniques and procedures in a combined joint Search and Rescue exercise. To create a realistic training environment, Maritime Police, National Guard, Border Police and Civil Protection forces were also involved.
The main objective of ASAREX 21 was to create scenarios for joint and combined SAR missions and to exchange experiences and knowledge of participating operators ASAREX promoted and maximised proficiency, cooperation and interoperability among rescue teams at sea. The location of the the training venue on the Azores in the North Atlantic Ocean allowed for cooperation of Canadian and US aircraft with the Portuguese air and maritime assets underscoring transatlantic cooperation of Allies. The training enhances the capabilities of participant to handle real-world emergencies together.
