January 2016

Spanish warship, ESPS Victoria, conducted a series of exercises with Japanese warship, JDS Suzunami, to strengthen counter-piracy cooperation between the two forces.

Earlier today the Operation Commander, Major General Martin Smith MBE, welcomed the UK Secretary of State for Defence, The Right Honourable Michael Fallon MP, to EU NAVFOR’s Operational Headquarters in London.

In order to maintain their high state of readiness, the Italian Navy divers from the Gruppo Operativo Subacqueo (GOS) who are currently embarked in Operation Atalanta’s flagship, ITS Carabiniere, carry out regular diving training.

On Saturday 23 January the Spanish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) Detachment held a medal ceremony in their headquarters in Djibouti.

Friday 22 January marked the end of the current deployment with Operation Atalanta for the Spanish D-4 Vigma Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA).  The aircraft has been replaced by a Spanish Air Force P-3.

On Sunday 10 January 2016, Operation Atalanta warship ESPS Victoria and a Spanish maritime-patrol aircraft met off the Somali coast to complete a cargo air-drop.

Rear Admiral Christophe Mueller-Meinhard (German Navy) has handed over the role of Deputy Commander (DCOM) of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta, to Rear Admiral Jonas Wikstrӧm (Swedish Royal Navy).

During the recent port visit to Djibouti, Operation Atalanta warships ITS Carabiniere and FGS Erfurt carried out maritime training alongside their colleagues from the Djiboutian Navy.

On Tuesday 12 January 2016 Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander visited the Spanish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) Detachment based in Djibouti.

On Sunday 17 January 2016, the Force Commander of the Chinese Escort Task Group 576, Rear Admiral Chen Qiangnan, was welcomed on board ITS Carabiniere by Rear Admiral Barbieri.

On Tuesday 12 January 2016 Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Stefano Barbieri, visited the Djiboutian Coastguard and was welcomed by its Commander, Colonel Wais O. Bogoreh.

On Wednesday 06 January 2016, Operation Atalanta warship, ITS Carabiniere, and Japanese warship, JDS Suzunami, met at sea to conduct joint exercises in the Gulf of Aden.

This week in the Gulf of Aden, Operation Atalanta’s flagship ITS Carabiniere and Spanish warship ESPS Victoria met with USNS Laramie and carried out a combined replenishment at sea (RAS).

On Thursday 7 January 2015, ITS Carabiniere and ESPS Victoria’s helicopter carried out a joint training exercise.

On Wednesday 6 January 2015, Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Stefano Barbieri, met the Commander of the Japanese Escort Division 3 on board JDS Suzunami.

On Saturday 2 January 2016, Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Barbieri, visited the Lithuanian Maritime Protection team that is embarked on board the World Food Programme (WFP) vessel, MSM Douro.

Italian marines on board Operation Atalanta’s flagship, ITS Carabiniere, spent the New Year period conducting training to help them maintain their high state of readiness.