Operation Atalanta – SeaWaves – the BEST naval news since 1995

German P-3C Returns to Operation Atalanta

September 20, 2019 seawaves

September 17, 2019 (Google Translation) – Since September 13, the German seafaring reconnaissance P-3C “Orion” is back in the ATALANTA in Djibouti integrated. The German Navy pilots from Nordholz on the North Sea coast laid with the largest combat aircraft of the Bundeswehr to Djibouti: the maritime patrol aircraft P-3C “Orion”. It is a four-engine propeller aircraft and is used as reconnaissance and submarine fighter aircraft. Due to its long standing time, it can be used and cleared up to twelve hours in the field. The “Orion” is equipped with…

Navarra Returns to Rota From Operation Atalanta

August 9, 2019 seawaves

August 8, 2019 (Google Translation) – The frigate “Navarra” has docked this morning at the Rota Naval Base after five and a half months deployed as a command ship of the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) in Somalia, which focuses on the fight against piracy in the Horn of Africa and the western Indian Ocean, as well as in the protection of ships of the World Food Program. During the last 176 days, the ship has traveled more than 30,000 nautical miles through the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of…

New Force Commander for Operation Atalanta

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 seawaves

July 23, 2019 – In a handover/takeover ceremony this morning on board the EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA warship ESPS Navarra, EU NAVFOR Deputy Operation Commander Rear Admiral Giovanni Battista Piegaja welcomed the operation’s new Force Commander, Rear Admiral Simi and his Flag Ship, ITS Antonia Marceglia, as the new Force Headquarters (FHQ) for the 32nd rotation of Operation ATALANTA. EU NAVFOR also welcomed the ESPS CANARIAS as a new addition to the 32nd rotation of Operation ATALANTA. Both vessels will sail with Operation ATALANTA from the end of July…

FS Surcouf Welcomed Back to Operation Atalanta

June 5, 2019 seawaves

June 3, 2019 – Operation Atalanta is glad to welcome the French Ship (FS) Surcouf back this week, as she sails in direct support of Operation Atalanta. FS Surcouf will operate alongside the Spanish Ship (ESPS) Navarra in support of Operation Atalanta’s activities concerning countering piracy, protecting UN World Food Program (WFP) vessels and other vulnerable ships, and monitoring fishing activity off the Horn of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The FS Surcouf has supported Operation Atalanta in the past, including deployments in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2018. In…

Operation Atalanta’s Farewell to ITS Carlo Margottini

June 4, 2019 seawaves

May 31, 2019 – Today marks the end of ITS Carlo Margottini’s contribution to Operation Atalanta, the European Union’s first naval operation, launched in 2008 to prevent and deter piracy at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Indian Ocean. For the past three months, the Italian warship (hull number F592) has worked alongside the ESPS Navarra, countering piracy and monitoring fishing activities off the coast of Somalia. Previously, the ITS Carlo Margottini sailed with EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta from 5 April to 6 August 2018. ITS Carlo…

Carlo Margottini Conducts Maintenance Stopover in Muscat

May 17, 2019May 17, 2019 seawaves

May 17, 2019 (Google Translation) – As part of its commitment to ensure the protection of merchant shipping and the vessels of the World Food Program in the Gulf of Aden and along the northern coasts of Somalia under the European flag of the Atalanta anti-piracy operation , frigate Margottini made an operational halt in the port of Muscat. The days used in the port served to carry out periodic maintenance on some on-board systems and carry out the normal logistical settlement of materials and food. At the end of…

Bundesmarine P-3 Operations in Operation Atalanta

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 seawaves

May 9, 2019 (Google Translation) – With the reconnaissance aircraft P-3C Orion, called “Jester”, pirates were tracked down in the Indian Ocean and enlightened. In collaboration with the Spanish comrades, the forces at Operation Atalanta were able to make a significant contribution to their capture. Alarm at noon It should be a quiet Sunday. The crew of the reconnaissance aircraft P-3C Orion regenerated from the strenuous mission flight the day before. The technicians were in the lunch break. Except at the Mission Support Center (MSC), there was not much traffic…

First Piracy off Somalia in Seven Months

May 9, 2019 seawaves

May 3, 2019 (Google Translation) – Between 21 and 23 April, a group of pirates attacked two Korean and Spanish fishing vessels off the coast of Somalia , before being apprehended as part of Operation EU NAVFOR Atalanta. This is the first piracy incident around the Horn of Africa since October 2018. On April 19, 5 pirates hijacked a Yemeni dhow. Two days later, the pirates attacked 2 fishing vessels with skiffs, using the dhow as the mother boat. EU NAVFOR immediately responded by sending air and naval units to…

Jeanne d’Arc 2019 Takes Part in Operation Atalanta

April 2, 2019 seawaves

April 1, 2019 (Google Translation) – Prior to reorienting its mission to Mozambique, the Jeanne d’Arc group, made up of the Amphibie Thunder Helicopter Carrier and the La Fayette Frigate, provided direct support to Operation EU NAVFOR ATALANTA from 18 March 2019. The presence of the group has reinforced, as part of this operation, the stability of the area of the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, strategic shipping routes. In addition to the maritime surveillance and reconnaissance missions carried out by a Falcon 50 of the 24F deployed…

Transfer of the General Staff from Atalanta to Rota

April 2, 2019 seawaves

March 29, 2019 (Google Translation) – The transfer of the OHQ from the European anti-piracy operation Atalante, from Northwood to Rota, took place on 29 March in Rota in the presence of the commanders of the operation leaving and taking, the General (RM UK) Charlie Stickland and Vice Admiral (ESP) Antonio Martorelli Lacave. Admiral Prazuck, Chief of Staff of the Navy, represented the Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly, to mark the commitment of France in this operation, which allows the European Union to be present in this strategic area…

Spain Assumes Command of Operation Atalanta

March 17, 2019 seawaves

March 12, 2019 – The frigate ‘Navarra’ will be the command ship for the next five months. The Spanish Armed Forces have assumed command of the European Union Naval Force in Somalia (EU NAVFOR Somalia) Operation Atalanta in a ceremony held in Djibouti, aboard the frigate ‘Navarra’ of the Spanish Navy. During the ceremony, the Spanish Rear admiral Ricardo Atanasio Hernández López took over for the next five months in which he will act as commander of the force of the Task Force (TF) 465 of the European Union (EU),…

Navarra to be Operation Atalanta Flagship

March 9, 2019 seawaves

February 27, 2019 (Google Translation) – Frigate ‘Navarra’ sailed last Saturday from the Rota Naval Base towards the Eastern Mediterranean to join Operation ‘Atalanta’ in the Indian Ocean, where she is expected to remain until the next month of August. The ‘Navarra’ (F-85) will be the flagship of the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), accommodating the Force Commander and his Staff, on this occasion Spanish Rear admiral Ricardo Atanasio Hernández López, who will exercise the command of Operation ‘Atalanta’ during the next 5 months. This operation focuses on the fight against…

EUNAVFOR Celebrates 10 Years of Operation

December 8, 2018 seawaves

December 8, 2018 – Today is an important milestone for the EU’s Common Security & Defence Policy, as the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) celebrates ten years of maritime operations. Commanded from its military HQ in Northwood, London, the European Union Naval Force was officially launched on 8 December 2008. Codenamed ‘Operation ATALANTA’ (after the mythological Greek huntress), it is a naval force generated by EU Member States working collectively, in support of UN Security Council Resolutions agreed from 2008 onwards, to tackle the Somali piracy crisis at source.…

ESPS Relámpago Visits Alexandria

November 30, 2018 seawaves

November 27, 2018 (Google Translation) – The BAM “Relámpago” has landed in the port of Alexandria (Egypt) in its transit of incorporation to the Atalanta operation. The purpose of the visit has been to strengthen ties of bilateral cooperation between both countries, especially in the naval field. The Navy ship, with 80 sailors on board between the crew, the 10th Squadron’s on-board air unit, and the Northern Third Security Operative Team, has remained for two days at the Naval Base, the main one in the Egyptian country. It hosts the…

ITS Federico Martinengo Completes Visit to Seychelles

October 5, 2018 seawaves

October 2, 2018 (Google Translation) – After the stop in Port Victoria (Seychelles) of Federico Martinengo of the Navy, inserted in the anti-piracy device of the Op. Atalanta. During the break the ship commander Martinengo , the frigate captain Andrea Quondamatteo , met the top of the security forces of the archipelago to confirm the desire of the European Naval force, EUNAVFOR , to cooperate with the local forces, as the Seychelles a regional partner of main interest in the area of operations. This also in light of the launch…