Phoenix Express is an exercise sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), and conducted by Naval Forces Africa (NAVAF) to assess and improve maritime law enforcement capacity, promote national and regional security in eastern Africa, inform planning and operations, and shape security force assistance (SFA) efforts.

PE17 will be conducted by NAVAF, North African partners and Western parnter nations to assess and improve maritime interoperability, promote national and regional security, inform planning and operations, and improve U.S. military capabilities.

PE17 North African partners include Maurtitania, Morroco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt.  These countries lead planning and execution of training scenarios that include interdicting illicit activity (trafficking of arms, drugs, money, natural resources, WMD materials, and people) and provide vessels, teams, and leadership to enable a combined maritime operations center (CMOC) and surface action group (SAG.) 

The exercise is conducted in the western Mediterranean sea, with operations held off the coast of North Africa, Spain and Italy.