On 14 December 2010, France Force Headquarters will hand over the EU NAVFOR Force command to Spain. Two months prior to this handover, elements of the multinational staff who will work in the future Spanish Force Headquarters, went through a five day preparation in the EU NAVFOR Operational Headquarters (Northwood – UK), to be briefed on the current operational situation and the main challenges of EU NAVFOR operation.
“As the future EU NAVFOR Force Commander, it is under my responsibility to have a well prepared and balanced multinational staff to take over the mission of the Force headquarters”, said Rear-Admiral Juan Rodriguez during his visit in the EU NAVFOR Operational Headquarters.
“This intensive period of mission preparation, prior to deployment, has provided all Officers and Petty Officers of the staff with a better understanding of the mission and its challenges. It is one of my priorities to incorporate in my staff the lessons identified during former Force Headquarters in order to permit a continuous improvement of the mission.”
The current Force Headquarters, onboard the French Flagship FS DE GRASSE, have now completed half of their tour. In a two month period, EU NAVFOR warships have completed 21 escorts for chartered shipments for the World Food Program and the African Union Mission in Somalia. In addition, they have conducted 14 disruptions, preventing on each occasion a highly probable attack on merchant and vulnerable vessels.
EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.
“As the future EU NAVFOR Force Commander, it is under my responsibility to have a well prepared and balanced multinational staff to take over the mission of the Force headquarters”, said Rear-Admiral Juan Rodriguez during his visit in the EU NAVFOR Operational Headquarters.
“This intensive period of mission preparation, prior to deployment, has provided all Officers and Petty Officers of the staff with a better understanding of the mission and its challenges. It is one of my priorities to incorporate in my staff the lessons identified during former Force Headquarters in order to permit a continuous improvement of the mission.”
The current Force Headquarters, onboard the French Flagship FS DE GRASSE, have now completed half of their tour. In a two month period, EU NAVFOR warships have completed 21 escorts for chartered shipments for the World Food Program and the African Union Mission in Somalia. In addition, they have conducted 14 disruptions, preventing on each occasion a highly probable attack on merchant and vulnerable vessels.
EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.