EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

Spanish Navy warship, ESPS Rayo, is currently deployed off the coast of Somalia as part of the European Union’s counter-piracy operation. In order to ensure she can remain on patrol for long periods, she recently conducted a replenishment at sea (RAS) with United States Navy Ship (USNS) Kanawha.

A RAS requires careful navigation and complex co-ordination between the ships’ crews to ensure that fuel and stores are transferred safely. This was the first time that the two ships have worked together to complete this evolution and it highlighted the benefits of mutual cooperation between respective navies.