SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras. -- U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Task Force-Bravo is conducting exercise AGILE BEAR 26 in locations across Belize from April 5-11, 2026.
Agile Bear 26 is a multinational exercise designed to enhance readiness of United States and partner nation forces to respond effectively during a disaster and in countering transnational criminal organizations through various training exercises. Key participants include JTF-Bravo, Belize Defense Force (BDF), Belize Coast Guard (BCG), the National Emergency Management Organization of Belize (NEMO), and the British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB).
Training events include humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, air movement rehearsals, civil-military operations, medical and combatives training, and aerial gunnery.
As part of the exercise, four UH-60 Black Hawks from the 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, JTF-Bravo, will conduct routine gunnery training, designed to enhance the readiness of our forces and strengthen our interoperability with our Belizean partners. This training is conducted in designated, pre-approved, and isolated training areas away from populated centers with multiple layers of safety protocols. Residents may notice an increase in air traffic or noise from helicopters and gun fire.
As SOUTHCOM’s rapid response element in Central America, JTF-Bravo provides a unique
and essential capability in enabling our partner nations to proactively confront threats to their security and exercises like AGILE BEAR prepare our teams to respond to crises in the joint operational area.
Similar exercises are conducted routinely across Central America to strengthen the U.S. military’s readiness and partnerships. Preparing together to respond in times of disaster ensures progress through unity in our joint effort of security and prosperity.
Photos of the exercise will be available at: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/JTF-B