Maritime forces from East Africa, West Indian Ocean nations, Europe and the United States, as well as several international organizations, will begin the sixth iteration of the annual multinational maritime exercise Cutlass Express, Jan. 31. Cutlass Express 2017, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command and conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa , is designed to assess and improve combined maritime law enforcement capacity and promote national and regional security in East Africa, inform planning and operations. Cutlass Express 2017 will test participating nations’ ability to respond to illicit trafficking, piracy, illegal fishing, and search and rescue situations.