USCGC Stone (WMSL 758) arrived in the port of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a scheduled visit, March 7.
The visit is Stone’s second stop in Brazil as the cutter continues its multi-mission deployment in the South Atlantic Ocean, exhibiting the U.S. Coast Guard’s partnership with Brazil and strengthening the interoperability of the two nations’ maritime forces to counter illicit maritime activity and promote maritime sovereignty throughout the region.
“This deployment has already proven the effectiveness of our interagency and international partnerships,” said U.S. Coast Guard Captain Clinton Carlson, Stone’s commanding officer. “On our first stop in Brazil in Recife in February 2023, we embarked representatives from the Brazilian Navy who have consistently provided invaluable insight and enhanced our capabilities, allowing us to more readily conduct maritime law enforcement to safeguard and protect international waters.”
Brazil and the United States’ naval services both use unmanned aerial systems to provide increased maritime domain awareness across a variety of mission sets. The embarked Brazilian officers are part of Brazil’s first ship-based unmanned aerial systems squadron, and the embarkation of these officers aboard Stone highlights the robust partnership between the two nations and their shared commitment to upholding the rules-based international order at sea.
“While deployed with the Stone we have been working to counter illegal fishing,” said Brazilian Navy Lieutenant Caio Cardinot. “It’s been a real pleasure to build this partnership, sharing knowledge and expertise with each other. With common UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] capabilities, a very robust communication center, and a hardworking crew, we have been very impressed during our time here.”
In recent years, the United States and Brazil have partnered to share and exchange maritime tactics, techniques, and procedures. Since 2009, the U.S. Coast Guard provided 34 mobile training team deployments and three resident training courses to Brazil in the areas of crisis management, mobile command systems, port security, maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and disaster response. Additionally, Stone previously visited Rio de Janeiro in 2021 while conducting a South Atlantic Ocean deployment.
Both countries are dedicated to the responsible management of marine resources, demonstrating their shared commitment through the continued integration of their naval forces.
“This deployment is about partnerships,” Capt. Carlson said. “Not only have we embarked officers from the Brazilian Navy, but we’ve also embarked U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel augments as well. As we work with Brazil’s maritime forces, we’re strengthening our domestic partnerships as well, bringing both joint and combined capabilities to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing around the world. These partnerships create new opportunities for us to maintain free and sustainable access to maritime resources for all.”
