Rear Admiral Simone Malvagna (ITN), the new Force Commander of EU NAVFOR Op Atalanta, met with the maritime patrol reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) personnel from Spain and Japan.

European and Japanese counter-piracy forces based in Djibouti have continued to operate alongside each other during handover and changes for several years. The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and the EU NAVFOR Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPRA) detachments have seen new leadership in their respective headquarters, which has led to the opportunity to establish professional and personal relationships.

Rear Admiral Alfonso Nanclares (ESPN), Deputy Commander of EU NAVFOR, accompanied the Force Commander for the visit and was impressed by the continued professionalism of both detachments. The Japanese detachment, as part of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) works in partnership with EU NAVFOR countering piracy off the coast of Somalia. The combined maritime picture from both detachments is essential in compiling detailed information for military organisations operating throughout the Southern Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the wider Western Indian Ocean.