Exercise Iron Defender is an annual bilateral training event between the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and forces from the United Arab Emirates. The exercise focuses on maritime security operations, mine countermeasures, and harbor defense.
NAVCENT is headquartered in Manama, Bahrain and includes US forces operating in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.
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