Strengthening Ties: Navy and Coast Guard Sail with Brazilian Partners to Commemorate 200 Years of Partnership
The MOC
By
LTJG Brennan Suffern, USCG
October 15, 2024
2024 marks the bicentennial of relations between Brazil and the United States. To celebrate this, the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy launched Operation SOUTHERN SEAS in mid-May, sailing with two Brazilian frigates to conduct joint exercises. The ships also conducted an observer exchange. USS Porter and USCGC James sent four sailors to BNS União and BNS Independência. The Brazilian Navy, meanwhile, sent over a dozen sailors and naval aviators to James, Porter, USNS John Lenthall, and USS George Washington. The five-day operation displayed the effectiveness of ship observer programs in exchanging professional knowledge between sailors of allied nations. The persistence of illicit maritime activity by state and non-state actors makes the Atlantic Ocean a premier zone for great power competition. Modern threats no longer limit themselves to maritime boundary lines. International partnerships have become more critical than ever. The Navy and the Coast Guard should enhance their partnerships with the Brazilian Navy to combat shared issues and promote maritime governance in the Western Hemisphere.
A History of Cooperation
The United States and Brazil share a long history of Atlantic naval cooperation. While diplomatic ties began in 1824, the strong naval links were forged nearly a century later, when U.S. Navy officials visited the Brazilian Naval Academy and conducted the American Naval Mission. This agreement, forged four years after cooperating in the Great War, began a decades-long partnership between the two navies. The agreement also promoted the balance of power in South America, as Argentina and Chile had established a strong alliance that threatened Brazil’s position in the region. Later, during World War Two, Brazil joined the Allied Powers and provided convoy escorts throughout the Western Atlantic Ocean. In all, the Brazilian Navy protected 3,167 ships in 614 total escorts (solitary and joint force), totaling over 16.5 million tons of Allied shipping.
During the Cold War era, the U.S.-Brazilian naval relationship continued through the Naval Mission, where U.S. officers taught English and seamanship at the Brazilian Naval Academy. Lieutenant Douglas Burnett, USN, volunteered as a ship observer to understand how the Navy operated. During the patrol, Lieutenant Burnett noted the dangers of navigating the Amazon River. He also observed the Brazilians’ humanitarian mission to provide medicine and supplies to isolated natives along the river. The Brazilian Navy terminated the Naval Mission in 1977.
Today, U.S. Southern Command spearheads military engagements with Brazil. These mostly come as joint training exercises or cooperation to mitigate natural disasters. UNITAS is one such exercise. The event, named after the Latin word for “united,” aims to promote “partnership and demonstrate…commitment to the region.” Brazil, the United States, and other American nations have conducted UNITAS annually since 1960. Brazil hosted the 2022 event in Rio de Janeiro, where the participating countries conducted cultural exchanges, community service projects, and military exercises. In each instance of teamwork with the U.S. Navy, Brazil showcased its navy’s nautical proficiency and a strong desire for collaboration.
Shared Interests
The United States needs to continue to expand and strengthen its naval partnerships as maritime issues grow beyond a single nation’s capacity to address. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUU-F) is one such threat. IUU-F depletes fish stocks at an alarming rate, eroding the livelihoods and food supply of communities throughout the Western Hemisphere. The fish harvested include highly migratory species that subsist across the Atlantic Ocean. The makeup of the distant water fishing fleet, many of which are Chinese-owned, also poses an issue, as certain vessels swarm and dominate the fishing enterprise. As such, IUU-F proves a multi-national issue and requires a joint effort.
Great power competition also aligns the interests and goals of Brazil and the United States. China has strengthened its grip over the South American economy, dominating the extraction of raw materials from the region. Notably, Brazil identified China as a leading perpetrator of IUU-F in Brazilian waters. This friction, along with Argentina’s decision to not join the BRICS bloc, shows that China’s influence in South America, while strong, can be rolled back. The United States should pursue every means to help Brazil and other South American countries distance themselves from Chinese interference.
The Way Forward
The U.S. Navy andCoast Guard should invest more in engagements with the Brazilian Navy through training exercises and joint operations. For example, USCGC James conducted mock boardings with Brazilian warships to showcase an at-sea law enforcementS evolution. Targeted scenarios like these improve Brazil’s ability to enforce maritime law in its waters while enhancing international interoperability.
Success in operations proves more elusive than success in training exercises. The law enforcement mission requires an infrastructure of laws, authority, and policy to define and measure success. This does not currently exist in the South Atlantic Ocean. Brazil and the United States should spearhead implementing High Seas Boarding Authority in the South Atlantic Ocean through international conventions and treaties with Latin American partners. The Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organizations, albeit flawed, are a good model for international fisheries regulations. Meanwhile, the United States should work to develop a bilateral agreement to streamline flag-statepermissions for U.S. warships to board Brazilian vessels that may have conducted IUU-F. The agreement should also form a ship-rider program to bring Brazilian law enforcement authority to U.S. warships operating in the South Atlantic. Through this, the Navy and Coast Guard can directly help Brazil enforce its laws in its vast maritime domain. This agreement would require immense faith from Brazil in the United States’ sincerity of purpose. The U.S. naval services must do everything they can to earn that trust.
The Navy and the Coast Guard must also cooperate to enhance the U.S.-Brazilian maritime relationship. Each has something to offer: the Navy possesses robust warfighting capability, while the Coast Guard brings vast law enforcement proficiency. Warships and cutters should continue to visit Brazil and nurture the international maritime relationship;however,the Coast Guard does not possess the resources necessary to sustain a long-term presence in South America. Current funding issues have exacerbated the service’s struggles to operate with a reduced fleet size. Absent increased budgets, the Coast Guard cannot contribute the same time and tonnage as the Navy. The Coast Guard does deploy detachments aboard Navy ships to conduct counter-drug operations. Such detachments could provide the law enforcement capabilities that a cutter visit would supply at a fraction of the cost to the Coast Guard. Either way, the U.S. naval services should continue to maximize integration opportunities with Brazil.
The Navy and the Coast Guard should also continue to pursue ship observer programs. This author participated in the May ship observer program and embarked on Independencia. While our time was limited to training exercises, the experience showcased the Brazilians’ proficiency and expertise. Moreso, participants forged strong friendships founded on shared ideals of maritime order and passion for service.
Why It Matters
Throughout history, the Brazilian Navy proved itself as a capable fighting force. The nation remains a prominent naval power in the South Atlantic Ocean. While Brazil’s coastline may be vast, its navy proves a proficient, valuable, and necessary ally of the United States. For one, the tyranny of distance between the United States and South America makes patrols taxing and expensive. The United States’ investment inthe rules-based order also necessitates allies. Without partners to bolster international norms, the maritime domain reverts to the traditional “might-makes-right” standard, taxing defense budgets. With partners to help enforce shared ideals of maritime governance, the United States can fulfil its foreign policy initiatives while empowering allies. To foster a strong Atlantic community, the Navy and the Coast Guard must continue to grow their relationships with the Brazilian Navy.
LTJG Brennan Suffern works at Coast Guard District 8 in New Orleans, LA. He previously worked as a Deck Watch Officer and the Combat Information Center Officer on USCGC JAMES (WMSL 754). He graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Government.
The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.
Center for Maritime Strategy
By LTJG Brennan Suffern, USCG
2024 marks the bicentennial of relations between Brazil and the United States. To celebrate this, the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy launched Operation SOUTHERN SEAS in mid-May, sailing with two Brazilian frigates to conduct joint exercises. The ships also conducted an observer exchange. USS Porter and USCGC James sent four sailors to BNS União and BNS Independência. The Brazilian Navy, meanwhile, sent over a dozen sailors and naval aviators to James, Porter, USNS John Lenthall, and USS George Washington. The five-day operation displayed the effectiveness of ship observer programs in exchanging professional knowledge between sailors of allied nations. The persistence of illicit maritime activity by state and non-state actors makes the Atlantic Ocean a premier zone for great power competition. Modern threats no longer limit themselves to maritime boundary lines. International partnerships have become more critical than ever. The Navy and the Coast Guard should enhance their partnerships with the Brazilian Navy to combat shared issues and promote maritime governance in the Western Hemisphere.
A History of Cooperation
The United States and Brazil share a long history of Atlantic naval cooperation. While diplomatic ties began in 1824, the strong naval links were forged nearly a century later, when U.S. Navy officials visited the Brazilian Naval Academy and conducted the American Naval Mission. This agreement, forged four years after cooperating in the Great War, began a decades-long partnership between the two navies. The agreement also promoted the balance of power in South America, as Argentina and Chile had established a strong alliance that threatened Brazil’s position in the region. Later, during World War Two, Brazil joined the Allied Powers and provided convoy escorts throughout the Western Atlantic Ocean. In all, the Brazilian Navy protected 3,167 ships in 614 total escorts (solitary and joint force), totaling over 16.5 million tons of Allied shipping.
During the Cold War era, the U.S.-Brazilian naval relationship continued through the Naval Mission, where U.S. officers taught English and seamanship at the Brazilian Naval Academy. Lieutenant Douglas Burnett, USN, volunteered as a ship observer to understand how the Navy operated. During the patrol, Lieutenant Burnett noted the dangers of navigating the Amazon River. He also observed the Brazilians’ humanitarian mission to provide medicine and supplies to isolated natives along the river. The Brazilian Navy terminated the Naval Mission in 1977.
Today, U.S. Southern Command spearheads military engagements with Brazil. These mostly come as joint training exercises or cooperation to mitigate natural disasters. UNITAS is one such exercise. The event, named after the Latin word for “united,” aims to promote “partnership and demonstrate…commitment to the region.” Brazil, the United States, and other American nations have conducted UNITAS annually since 1960. Brazil hosted the 2022 event in Rio de Janeiro, where the participating countries conducted cultural exchanges, community service projects, and military exercises. In each instance of teamwork with the U.S. Navy, Brazil showcased its navy’s nautical proficiency and a strong desire for collaboration.
Shared Interests
The United States needs to continue to expand and strengthen its naval partnerships as maritime issues grow beyond a single nation’s capacity to address. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUU-F) is one such threat. IUU-F depletes fish stocks at an alarming rate, eroding the livelihoods and food supply of communities throughout the Western Hemisphere. The fish harvested include highly migratory species that subsist across the Atlantic Ocean. The makeup of the distant water fishing fleet, many of which are Chinese-owned, also poses an issue, as certain vessels swarm and dominate the fishing enterprise. As such, IUU-F proves a multi-national issue and requires a joint effort.
Great power competition also aligns the interests and goals of Brazil and the United States. China has strengthened its grip over the South American economy, dominating the extraction of raw materials from the region. Notably, Brazil identified China as a leading perpetrator of IUU-F in Brazilian waters. This friction, along with Argentina’s decision to not join the BRICS bloc, shows that China’s influence in South America, while strong, can be rolled back. The United States should pursue every means to help Brazil and other South American countries distance themselves from Chinese interference.
The Way Forward
The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard should invest more in engagements with the Brazilian Navy through training exercises and joint operations. For example, USCGC James conducted mock boardings with Brazilian warships to showcase an at-sea law enforcementS evolution. Targeted scenarios like these improve Brazil’s ability to enforce maritime law in its waters while enhancing international interoperability.
Success in operations proves more elusive than success in training exercises. The law enforcement mission requires an infrastructure of laws, authority, and policy to define and measure success. This does not currently exist in the South Atlantic Ocean. Brazil and the United States should spearhead implementing High Seas Boarding Authority in the South Atlantic Ocean through international conventions and treaties with Latin American partners. The Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organizations, albeit flawed, are a good model for international fisheries regulations. Meanwhile, the United States should work to develop a bilateral agreement to streamline flag-state permissions for U.S. warships to board Brazilian vessels that may have conducted IUU-F. The agreement should also form a ship-rider program to bring Brazilian law enforcement authority to U.S. warships operating in the South Atlantic. Through this, the Navy and Coast Guard can directly help Brazil enforce its laws in its vast maritime domain. This agreement would require immense faith from Brazil in the United States’ sincerity of purpose. The U.S. naval services must do everything they can to earn that trust.
The Navy and the Coast Guard must also cooperate to enhance the U.S.-Brazilian maritime relationship. Each has something to offer: the Navy possesses robust warfighting capability, while the Coast Guard brings vast law enforcement proficiency. Warships and cutters should continue to visit Brazil and nurture the international maritime relationship; however, the Coast Guard does not possess the resources necessary to sustain a long-term presence in South America. Current funding issues have exacerbated the service’s struggles to operate with a reduced fleet size. Absent increased budgets, the Coast Guard cannot contribute the same time and tonnage as the Navy. The Coast Guard does deploy detachments aboard Navy ships to conduct counter-drug operations. Such detachments could provide the law enforcement capabilities that a cutter visit would supply at a fraction of the cost to the Coast Guard. Either way, the U.S. naval services should continue to maximize integration opportunities with Brazil.
The Navy and the Coast Guard should also continue to pursue ship observer programs. This author participated in the May ship observer program and embarked on Independencia. While our time was limited to training exercises, the experience showcased the Brazilians’ proficiency and expertise. More so, participants forged strong friendships founded on shared ideals of maritime order and passion for service.
Why It Matters
Throughout history, the Brazilian Navy proved itself as a capable fighting force. The nation remains a prominent naval power in the South Atlantic Ocean. While Brazil’s coastline may be vast, its navy proves a proficient, valuable, and necessary ally of the United States. For one, the tyranny of distance between the United States and South America makes patrols taxing and expensive. The United States’ investment in the rules-based order also necessitates allies. Without partners to bolster international norms, the maritime domain reverts to the traditional “might-makes-right” standard, taxing defense budgets. With partners to help enforce shared ideals of maritime governance, the United States can fulfil its foreign policy initiatives while empowering allies. To foster a strong Atlantic community, the Navy and the Coast Guard must continue to grow their relationships with the Brazilian Navy.
LTJG Brennan Suffern works at Coast Guard District 8 in New Orleans, LA. He previously worked as a Deck Watch Officer and the Combat Information Center Officer on USCGC JAMES (WMSL 754). He graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Government.
The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.