Latest news with #USNSComfort
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
U.S. Naval Hospital Ship Comfort deploys for Continuing Promise 2025 mission
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The USNS Comfort set sail from Naval Station Norfolk Friday morning on a three-month deployment as part of the Continuing Promise 2025 mission. The naval hospital ship is equipped with an initial 100 bed capacity that is scalable to 1000 beds if needed. It includes advanced medical facilities from x-ray and CAT scan units to dental and optometry suites and a blood bank. 'We have a full complement of medical services, both medical and surgical, as well as support services to cool to include laboratory, radiology, pharmacy and physical therapy,' said Capt. Stephan Arles, commanding officer of the USNS Comfort medical treatment facility. 'We have a tailored mission, with two operating rooms capable of completing 12 to 18 surgeries per day. we also have an expeditionary medical site off ship, capable of treating between 300 and 500 patients a day.' Continuing Promise 2025 includes mission stops in Grenada, Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. 'Really excited to go down to the Caribbean and Central and South America in order to help some people down there,' said Capt. Ryan Kendall. 'We are working towards expanding our cooperation and integration with, with our regional partners in order to provide assistance in times of humanitarian crisis, disaster or regional conflict,' Arles said. As the ship departed from Naval Station Norfolk, family members of sailors gathered along the pier, giving their loved ones a proper send off as they deployed. 'So, it's his first big, long deployment, since having kids,' said Lindsay Moore, the wife of a sailor on the USNS Comfort. 'We met while I was getting out of the military, so I'm used to the deployment part, but it's definitely been interesting with them two [the kids].' 'It's bittersweet, but I feel inspired because I know he's out there doing good things and helping people that need that need attention,' said Lincoln Sama, the son of a sailor on the USNS Comfort. The Comfort is now headed to Miami, where it will later depart for Grenada, the first stop on the three-month mission. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
USNS Comfort to deploy for three-month humanitarian mission in Latin America
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Norfolk-based USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is set to begin a three-month deployment on Friday morning as part of the U.S. Navy's Continuing Promise 2025. The Mercy-class hospital ship will provide humanitarian and medical aid in mission visits to Grenada, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Dominion Republic. This marks the U.S. Navy's 16th mission to the region since 2007 and the eight aboard the USNS Comfort. The medical units that will be on board for this mission will have various skillsets, including dental, family medicine, internal medicine, optometry, nursing, pharmacy, biomedical repair, lab, radiology, X-ray, veterinary medicine and global health engagement. The USNS Comfort has one of the largest trauma facilities in the world and when activated, can transition to full operating status in five days. Full operating status includes the crew of civil service mariners and Navy medical personnel. The USNS Comfort has additionally provided relief after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Maria. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Panama and US lock in new security pact for Canal as China tensions simmer
The United States and Panama have officially signed a new defense and security pact aimed at reinforcing control over the Panama Canal, a move that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claims is critical to pushing back against China's growing grip in the region. In a press release posted Wednesday night on X, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that Panama's Minister for Canal Affairs and Hegseth signed a joint declaration that reaffirms Panamanian sovereignty and outlines new military cooperation. The deal "reaffirms respect for, and the recognition of, Panamanian sovereignty over the interoceanic waterway," the Canal Authority stated. It also upholds both nations' commitment to the Neutrality Treaty and the legal framework that governs canal operations, including Panama's Constitution, the treaty itself, and the Canal's Organic Law.Hegseth Says Panama Agreed To Allow Us Warships To Travel 'First And Free' Through Canal But the declaration goes beyond words. It lays out plans for a cost-sharing model to cover services provided to U.S. warships and auxiliary vessels, with the goal of keeping it "cost-neutral." "Efforts will be made [to] develop a mechanism which will allow compensation for services provided to warships and auxiliary vessels, seeking a cost-neutral basis," the statement reads. "This mechanism will be evaluated jointly with the Ministry of Security of Panama." According to Hegseth, a broader framework is also in the works, one that would guarantee U.S. warships "first and free" passage through the Panama Canal. Read On The Fox News App Hegseth announced Wednesday that U.S. and Panamanian officials had already signed a memorandum of understanding, and that a final document is on the way to formally secure toll-free priority for American naval vessels. The Canal Authority, meanwhile, emphasized that this agreement is just the start. "The declaration constitutes a first step in establishing this model, which will be developed in later stages." Us, Panama 'Taking Back' Canal From 'China's Influence,' Says Hegseth While the U.S. builds up its military coordination, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that collaboration already includes "engineering, security, and cybersecurity," key focus areas for both governments as they push back against foreign interference. The move comes just as the U.S. prepares to deploy the USNS Comfort, a Navy hospital ship, to the region in a show of presence and partnership. Earlier this week, Hegseth visited U.S. troops, met with Panamanian officials, and toured the canal. He warned sharply that China's reach in the Western Hemisphere is already too big, and still growing. "Make no mistake, Beijing is investing and operating in this region for military advantage and unfair economic gain," Hegseth said. "They operate military facilities and ground stations that extend their reach into space. They exploit natural resources and land to fuel China's global military ambitions. China's factory fishing fleets are stealing food from our nations and from our people." Hegseth stressed that war is not the objective. "Together, we must prevent war by robustly and vigorously deterring China's threats in this hemisphere," he said. He also made clear that the U.S. is taking steps to counter Chinese-controlled infrastructure in Panama. "China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area," Hegseth said. "That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable." Hegseth was blunt: "The United States will not allow China to threaten the canal's operation." He added, "To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than we have in decades." Despite the growing military and political coordination, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has publicly denied that China controls the canal. Hegseth did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for News' Morgan Philips contributed to this article source: Panama and US lock in new security pact for Canal as China tensions simmer
Fox News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Panama and US lock in new security pact for Canal as China tensions simmer
The United States and Panama have officially signed a new defense and security pact aimed at reinforcing control over the Panama Canal, a move that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claims is critical to pushing back against China's growing grip in the region. In a press release posted Wednesday night on X, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that Panama's Minister for Canal Affairs and Hegseth signed a joint declaration that reaffirms Panamanian sovereignty and outlines new military cooperation. The deal "reaffirms respect for, and the recognition of, Panamanian sovereignty over the interoceanic waterway," the Canal Authority stated. It also upholds both nations' commitment to the Neutrality Treaty and the legal framework that governs canal operations, including Panama's Constitution, the treaty itself, and the Canal's Organic Law.HEGSETH SAYS PANAMA AGREED TO ALLOW US WARSHIPS TO TRAVEL 'FIRST AND FREE' THROUGH CANAL But the declaration goes beyond words. It lays out plans for a cost-sharing model to cover services provided to U.S. warships and auxiliary vessels, with the goal of keeping it "cost-neutral." "Efforts will be made [to] develop a mechanism which will allow compensation for services provided to warships and auxiliary vessels, seeking a cost-neutral basis," the statement reads. "This mechanism will be evaluated jointly with the Ministry of Security of Panama." According to Hegseth, a broader framework is also in the works, one that would guarantee U.S. warships "first and free" passage through the Panama Canal. Hegseth announced Wednesday that U.S. and Panamanian officials had already signed a memorandum of understanding, and that a final document is on the way to formally secure toll-free priority for American naval vessels. The Canal Authority, meanwhile, emphasized that this agreement is just the start. "The declaration constitutes a first step in establishing this model, which will be developed in later stages." While the U.S. builds up its military coordination, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that collaboration already includes "engineering, security, and cybersecurity," key focus areas for both governments as they push back against foreign interference. The move comes just as the U.S. prepares to deploy the USNS Comfort, a Navy hospital ship, to the region in a show of presence and partnership. Earlier this week, Hegseth visited U.S. troops, met with Panamanian officials, and toured the canal. He warned sharply that China's reach in the Western Hemisphere is already too big, and still growing. "Make no mistake, Beijing is investing and operating in this region for military advantage and unfair economic gain," Hegseth said. "They operate military facilities and ground stations that extend their reach into space. They exploit natural resources and land to fuel China's global military ambitions. China's factory fishing fleets are stealing food from our nations and from our people." Hegseth stressed that war is not the objective. "Together, we must prevent war by robustly and vigorously deterring China's threats in this hemisphere," he said. He also made clear that the U.S. is taking steps to counter Chinese-controlled infrastructure in Panama. "China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area," Hegseth said. "That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable." Hegseth was blunt: "The United States will not allow China to threaten the canal's operation." He added, "To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than we have in decades." Despite the growing military and political coordination, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has publicly denied that China controls the canal. "I completely reject that statement," Mulino said, pushing back on earlier claims from the U.S. State Department that a deal had already been reached guaranteeing toll-free passage for U.S. warships. The Canal Authority added that it has "not made any adjustments" to its fee HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Hegseth says Panama agreed to allow US warships to travel 'first and free' through canal
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that U.S. and Panama officials would sign a "framework" agreement allowing U.S. warships to travel "first and free" through the Panama Canal. Hegseth said the two countries had already signed a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation and that they would finalize a document guaranteeing U.S. warships and auxiliary vessels priority, toll-free passage through the canal. When Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama earlier this year, the State Department claimed it had secured a deal for the free passage of U.S. warships. But Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino denied any such agreement had been reached. "I completely reject that statement," Mulino said at the time. The Panama Canal Authority also said it had "not made any adjustments" to its fee structure. Earlier Wednesday, Hegseth warned that China's military presence in the Western Hemisphere is "too large" as he visited Panama to meet with the nation's officials, visit U.S. troops and tour the canal ports. "Make no mistake, Beijing is investing and operating in this region for military advantage and unfair economic gain," Hegseth said in brief remarks to the press. "China's military has too large of a presence in the Western Hemisphere. They operate military facilities and ground stations that extend their reach into space. They exploit natural resources and land to fuel China's global military ambitions. China's factory fishing fleets are stealing food from our nations and from our people." He added that war with China is "not inevitable," and the U.S. does not seek war in any form. "Together, we must prevent war by robustly and vigorously deterring China's threats in this hemisphere." To strengthen military ties with Panama and reassert influence over the canal, the U.S. will deploy the USNS Comfort, a Navy hospital ship, to the region. Hegseth vowed Tuesday that the U.S. will "take back" the Panama Canal from Chinese influence, pointing to port operations controlled by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison. The secretary later said Wednesday that he and Panamanian officials would be signing an agreement that U.S. warships would travel "first and free" through the Panama Canal. Last month the conglomerate agreed to a $19 billion deal to sell a group of 43 ports, including two in Panama, to U.S.-based BlackRock, Trump hailed the agreement, seen as a solution to his complaints that the canal was owned by China, but now that deal may fall apart. China has criticized the deal, opening up antitrust probes, and a Panamanian official has accused CK Hutchison of failing to properly renew its contract in 2021 and owing the country $300 million. After meeting with Mulino, Hegseth said Tuesday the U.S. will not allow China to threaten the canal's operation. "To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than we have in decades," he said. Hegseth alluded to the ports owned by CK Hutchison. "China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area," he said. "That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable." The Chinese embassy in Panama hit back: "The U.S. has carried out a sensationalistic campaign about the 'theoretical Chinese threat' in an attempt to sabotage Chinese-Panamanian cooperation, which is all just rooted in the United States' own geopolitical interests." The war of words in Panama comes as China and the U.S. are now locked in a trade war, where Trump slapped Chinese goods with a total 104% tariff. China retaliated with 84% tariffs on U.S. goods.
