Maritime homeland security training Tuesday on the Thames

New London – Coast Guard boat and helicopter crews will be out Tuesday afternoon near the mouth of the Thames River as part of a joint training exercise with Navy and Canadian forces.

A Coast Guard spokesman says the training will include Coast Guard law enforcement members boarding other vessels. The spokesman urges residents to not be concerned if they witness such activities, which are related to the training.

“The training is part of the bigger Frontier Sentinel exercise, which began in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and concludes in Groton and New London,” the release states. “It is limited to specific areas in New London Harbor and on the Thames River, and should not significantly impact vessel traffic or harbor and river operations.”

The exercise is for the maritime homeland security of both the U.S. and Canada and will allow the forces to “train together to handle a security-related drill during a full-scale live event and may include mine counter measures and migrant vessel scenarios,” the release reads.