Kenya Navy to Train With U.S., UK, France, and Australia Marines in Mombasa
The Kenya Navy has kicked off a major multinational maritime exercise in Mombasa, bringing together naval forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia in a show of growing international cooperation in maritime security.
The four-day exercise, dubbed Operation Southern Readiness 2026 (K-OSR 26), officially began on Monday, January 26, at the Bandari Maritime Academy. This marks the first time Kenya has hosted the Operation Southern Readiness series, underscoring the country’s rising profile as a strategic maritime partner in the Western Indian Ocean region.
The exercise is jointly organised by the Kenya Navy and Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154) and involves maritime forces from partner nations alongside Kenyan maritime security agencies. Its primary focus is to strengthen interoperability, enhance operational readiness, and improve coordinated responses to shared maritime threats, including piracy, illicit trafficking, and environmental risks.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Commander of the Kenya Navy Base Mtongwe, Brigadier William Kiprotich, highlighted the importance of multinational collaboration in addressing increasingly complex maritime security challenges.
“We gather here under the Combined Maritime Forces motto, ‘Ready Together’. This motto encapsulates our mission over the next four days,” Brigadier Kiprotich said.
He noted that modern maritime threats do not respect national borders and cannot be addressed by individual countries acting alone.
“No single nation can secure the seas alone. The threats we face, such as piracy, illicit trafficking and environmental hazards, are transnational in nature. They demand a unified and operationally focused response,” he added.
According to the Kenya Navy, the exercise will involve joint planning sessions, tactical drills, command-and-control simulations, and practical maritime security operations. These activities are designed to improve coordination among participating forces and enhance their ability to respond swiftly and effectively to incidents at sea.
The Western Indian Ocean remains a vital global maritime corridor, supporting international trade, energy transportation, and regional livelihoods. However, the region continues to face security challenges, including smuggling networks, illegal fishing, and the lingering threat of piracy, making multinational cooperation increasingly critical.
Commander of CTF 154, Commodore Andrea Bielli, praised the Kenya Defence Forces and the Kenya Navy for hosting the exercise, describing it as a key platform for building long-term partnerships among participating nations.
“This exercise is not only about tactical training. It is about building trust, resilience, and lasting cooperation among partners who share a commitment to secure and prosperous seas,” Commodore Bielli said.
He added that the collaboration reflects shared values and a collective responsibility to safeguard maritime spaces for future generations.
“By training together, we strengthen our ability to operate together, guided by mutual respect and a common purpose,” he noted.
The hosting of K-OSR 26 also places Bandari Maritime Academy at the centre of international maritime training efforts. The academy has increasingly become a hub for maritime education and capacity building in the region.
Bandari Maritime Academy Chief Executive Officer Dr Eric Katana welcomed the international delegations and reaffirmed the institution’s role in supporting maritime security and skills development.
“We are honoured to host this important exercise and to support initiatives that promote professionalism, safety, and excellence in the maritime sector,” Dr Katana said.
Defence analysts say the exercise highlights Kenya’s strategic importance in regional security and reflects broader efforts by allied nations to maintain stability along critical sea lanes in the Indian Ocean.
As the exercise continues over the next several days, participating forces are expected to deepen operational ties and share best practices that will enhance collective maritime security well beyond the duration of the drills.
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Kenya Navy to Train With U.S., UK, France, and Australia Marines in Mombasa
