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Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU) conducted night-time rehearsals for rapid reaction force procedures at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico, as reported by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) on its official account.
The released images show Marines in full tactical gear boarding a Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey vertical takeoff helicopter during a nighttime operation, with the glowing trails of the rotors captured in long exposure.
The exercise is part of Operation Southern Spear, a campaign led by the U.S. Department of Defense with three stated objectives: to disrupt drug trafficking, deter hostile actors, and protect the national territory through a continuous presence in the area of responsibility of SOUTHCOM.
SOUTHCOM specified that the forces are deployed "in support of Operation Southern Spear, operations directed by the Department of War and the priorities of the president."
The 24th MEU operates under the designation Expeditionary Combat Force 24 (LCF-24), commanded by Colonel Ryan Lynch, and formally assumed the mission on May 29, relieving the 22nd MEU, which returned to Camp Lejeune.
The unit comprises over 1,300 marines and sailors with integrated land and air capabilities, and is certified for rapid reaction operations that include reinforcing embassies and the tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel.
The connection to Cuba is direct: on June 4, the LCF-24 carried out simultaneous training missions from the deck of the USS Fort Lauderdale to the Cuban shores, according to SOUTHCOM itself.
Roosevelt Roads, which closed in 2004, was reactivated in November 2025 as a logistical platform for regional operations, with a projected investment of 79 million dollars for its rehabilitation.
This Wednesday's drills are part of a series of exercises that have intensified the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean in recent months.
The FLEX 2026 exercise, held from April 24 to 30 in Key West, incorporated drones, artificial intelligence, and conventional naval forces in the first comprehensive demonstration of a kinetic detection and response chain in the region.
On May 20, SOUTHCOM announced the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to the Caribbean for the multinational exercise Southern Seas 2026, while more than 8,100 U.S. soldiers will conduct maneuvers in Puerto Rico between May and August 2026, as confirmed by the island's governor on June 11.
Since February 4, the U.S. has accumulated over 150 hours of air surveillance around Cuba with P-8A Poseidon aircraft, RC-135V Rivet Joint, and the MQ-4C Triton drone, a presence that the regime in Havana cannot ignore.
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