Fuertes Defensas '98-'99, August 24-November 19, 19991
Exercise type:	Operational An "operational" exercise is carried out with a specific threat or scenario in mind. Participants follow action plans devised for dealing with these scenarios. Operational exercises seek to gauge a contingency plan's effectiveness and the participants' ability to carry it out.
Mission:	"To exercise crisis action planning procedures." Southcom source documents do not specify which type of crisis scenario the exercise simulates. Carried out without foreign militaries' participation, Fuertes Defensas seeks to reinforce the U.S. participants' abilities to carry out the following "mission essential tasks": Synchronize forcible entry in theater of war Conduct intertheater deployment of forces Identify commanders' critical intelligence requirements Manage C4 (Command, Control, Communications, and Computers) systems for communicating strategic orders and information Issue theater strategic operation plans orders and ROE. Synchronize joint operations and subordinate campaign plans Establish a joint force Provide protection for theater strategic forces and means Recommend warfighting / other requirements and test concepts Determine theater warfighting needs, solutions and concepts Foster alliance and regional relations and security agreements Coordinate and integrate policy for the conduct of theater operations Provide military civic action assistance
Implemented by:	U.S. Southern Command Headquarters
Location:	"Miami and other remote locations"

Source:

¹United States, Department of Defense, U.S. Southern Command, "Fuertes Defensas 98/99," Slideshow document, April 20, 1998.