SANTIAGO, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Warships from Chile, Canada, the United States, France and Britain have kicked off a biennial navaldrill along Chile's northern coasts, Chilean military announced Wednesday.

    This year's exercises will see the largest-ever number of troops, vessels and aircraft in the history of the drill, dubbed Team Work South, according to a communique issued by Chilean Defense Minister Jaime Ravinet, who did not mention the exact number of the troops involved.

    The event, which lasts until June 16, is hosted by the Chilean navy and participated by aircraft, vessels and submarines from allthe five countries.

    Ravinet attended the inauguration ceremony aboard the Chilean destroyer Cochrane, accompanied by Vice Admiral Rodolfo Codina, who was recently appointed as commander of the Chilean navy.

    The vessels of the five countries will remain in the Mejilloneszone until the start of the second stage of the drill on June 12, which ends on June 14 with the docking of the ships in the Coquimbo harbor before they head for Valparaiso.

    Then the forces will be divided into two groups "confronting" each other.

    The final phase is expected to take place in the city of Valparaiso, where ships will carry out logistics and arms operations.

    The first Team Work South drill was staged in 1995 and it became a biennial event in 1999. Enditem