The confirmed attendance of the Royal Navy’s First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, at ExpoNaval 2026 marks a significant international milestone for the 14th Maritime Exhibition and Congress for Latin America, scheduled for December 1–3 at Espacio Riesco in Santiago.

The arrival of the British fleet’s highest-ranking professional officer lends unprecedented strategic stature to the event, bringing the Royal Navy’s leading doctrinal figure to a lineup that gathers defense officials, naval commanders, shipyards, technology firms, the defense industry, and international delegations.

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins has served as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff since May 2025, becoming the first Royal Marines officer to assume this role.

A Presence with Geopolitical Significance

Jenkins’s visit to Chile takes place against a global backdrop characterized by open strategic competition in maritime domains, the latent vulnerability of critical undersea networks, the rapid evolution of tactical warfare, and the large-scale deployment of autonomous platforms alongside disruptive technologies.

Throughout the year, Jenkins has publicly emphasized the urgent need for naval forces to enhance their readiness for conflict scenarios and to develop higher levels of interoperability and international cooperation. Under his leadership, the British force has prioritized the seamless integration of manned and unmanned assets, as well as much more fluid operational coordination with strategic partners.

Last July, the British high command spearheaded an initiative to strengthen maritime cooperation among the ten nations comprising the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), focusing specifically on optimizing interoperability, at-sea training dynamics, maneuver planning, logistical sustainment, and the development of combined capabilities.

This perspective aligns with the core agenda of ExpoNaval; this edition’s thematic program offers an in-depth examination of contemporary operational demands, strategic sovereignty, shipyard modernization, the integration of remote systems, and lessons learned from recent conflicts. Furthermore, the presence of the British naval force creates an ideal opportunity to revitalize the historic bilateral relationship between Chile and the United Kingdom across doctrinal, technical, commercial, and maritime spheres.