18-nation maneuvers focus on Panama Canal: "Military commanders and troops from 18 countries including the United States mounted extensive naval exercises focused on defending the Panama Canal against terrorist activity that could threaten maritime traffic.
In what defense industry analysts saw as a potential major opportunity to showcase the latest innovations in maritime security, more than 2,000 civilian and military personnel pooled resources for the 12-day exercises that will explore how best to secure the Panama Canal. The waterway currently handles about 5 percent of global trade.
Defense industry manufacturers are pinning hopes on new contracts in Central and South America and Asia amid drastic cutbacks in spending in Europe. U.S. defense manufacturers, including those not already contracted to the U.S. military, are in the lead alongside European and Asian competitors looking for new business in the region."
