On Friday 11 December 2015, the German Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) detachment departed Operation Atalanta.
During the three months with Operation Atalanta, the German crew conducted surveillance operations along the Somali coastline in areas where pirates have been known to operate.
The German air crew flew more than 300 operational flying hours and successfully accomplished 39 flight missions.
With a search area more than one and a half times the size of Europe, it is essential for Operation Atalanta to have such a responsive air asset.
As his crew prepared to return home, the commanding officer of the German MPRA Task Group, Commander Ahlers, thanked their outstanding commitment and said: “I am very proud of my team. We’ve just concluded a very demanding period and I would like to express to them my congratulations and gratitude for their continuous effort and relentless workload sustained despite the extreme climatic conditions.”