
The hemisphere surveyed by U.S. Southern Command will see an increased U.S. military presence with more platforms and security forces to improve regional readiness and interoperability and better enable counterdrug operations, the combatant commander said March 11. The command has been consistently working with between six and eight ships, whether they be Navy platforms, Coast Guard cutters or law enforcement vessels. But it requires additional forces to address the counter-narcotics mission set, U.S. SOUTHCOM Commander Adm. Craig Faller told reporters…