WILLEMSTAD – More than ninety soldiers from Aruba and Curaçao are taking part in a joint military exercise called Caribbean Strike, currently underway in Curaçao. The training began on Tuesday, June 10, and will continue over the next two weeks at various locations, including Wacao, Ascension, and Playa Santa Cruz. 

The Aruban soldiers arrived aboard the support vessel Zr.Ms. Pelikaan, which transported them from Aruba to Curaçao. Together with their Curaçaoan counterparts, they are training in a range of military skills, including tactical infiltration, reconnaissance patrols, conducting attacks and ambushes, marksmanship exercises, and urban warfare scenarios. Military vehicles are being used to move troops between training areas. 

The exercise is part of an ongoing effort to further professionalize Caribbean military units. According to the Ministry of Defence, realistic training scenarios like Caribbean Strike enhance troop readiness and operational capability. The soldiers are being prepared for a wide range of missions in the Caribbean region, including crisis response and emergency support.