Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered an expanded counterdrug offensive in the Western Hemisphere on Thursday as the Pentagon advanced Operation Southern Spear.
This long-duration mission deploys new robotic and autonomous systems to target cartel activity threatening U.S. security.
Hegseth announced the renewed push on X, framing it as a direct response to narcotics networks fueling U.S. overdoses.
"Today, I'm announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR. Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and @SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood – and we will protect it."
Hegseth's statement reflects an increasingly hardened posture as the administration intensifies regional pressure on transnational criminal groups.
Comparable descriptions from regional partners, including Colombia's Ministry of Defense, have emphasized shared maritime security responsibilities, which align with U.S. officials' calls for broader cooperation.
Operation Southern Spear, which commenced earlier this year, is now entering an expanded phase focusing on integrating robotic and autonomous systems into maritime counterdrug operations.
Cmdr. Foster Edwards, the 4th Fleet's Hybrid Fleet Director, said in January that the mission would operationalize a heterogeneous mix of platforms to support the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking while developing lessons for other theaters.
He said the effort marks a shift away from short-duration experimentation toward long-duration operations designed to refine how unmanned systems fit into the maritime environment.
The operation is expected to deploy long-dwell robotic surface vessels, small robotic interceptor boats, and vertical takeoff and landing robotic air vehicles across the Southern Command area of responsibility.
The 4th Fleet will integrate these systems with U.S. Coast Guard cutters and operations centers at 4th Fleet and Joint Interagency Task Force South.
Officials say the results will help determine the most effective combinations of unmanned vehicles and manned forces needed for sustained maritime domain awareness and counternarcotics missions.
The Navy stated that the initiative supports Project 33, a broader effort to operationalize robotic and autonomous capabilities across the fleet.
The service argues that expanding unmanned coverage in strategic shipping lanes will improve decision-making, reinforce national sovereignty, and strengthen cooperation with regional navies.
Nations including Panama and Ecuador have publicly supported increased maritime monitoring, echoing the Pentagon's argument that better surveillance can restrict cartel movement through critical sea corridors.
Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet, said Southern Spear represents the next step in the Hybrid Fleet Campaign.
He added that officials look forward to the mission's results and noted that hybrid fleet operations will increase collaboration with regional partners while advancing Navy tactics, techniques, procedures, and processes.
U.S. 4th Fleet officials describe the command as the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central American, and South American forces. They say continued cooperation is central to improving unity, security, and stability across the region.
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