Germany and Spain have been contributing to Operation ATALANTA since the beginning in 2008. Maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircrafts (MPRA) provide naval assets with a variety of capabilities making EU NAVFOR Somalia resilient and agile. Crew of the German “Jester” will work diligently alongside Spanish MPRA “Cisne”. Their main mission is to fly over the operational areas, detect suspicious skiffs and guide warships to their position. They are also able to collect intelligence on specific areas. The aircrafts are equipped with several advanced surveillance systems, which significantly enhance EU NAVFOR’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability in the Somali Basin and Gulf of Aden. Their speed and high level of endurance make them a key asset in this large operational area. Since the beginning of Operation ATALANTA MPRA’s have been key elements in the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia. Collaboration with other military organizations, like the Japanese MPRA working as part of Combined Maritime Forces has proven essential in covering this huge area of operations. The expertise gained by their respective crews has been a key factor contributing to the success of the EU NAVFOR operation.