EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

On 3 July 2016 Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander and his Chief of Staff paid a visit to the Spanish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) Detachment in Djibouti.

Rear Admiral Kaack and Captain Mathesius joined the MPRA team on a mission day to experience a normal working routine. They were hosted by the Commanding Officer of the Detachment, Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Saiz Quevedo, took part in the pre-flight briefings and went aboard the aircraft to meet the aircrew.

The Force Commander addressed all the Detachment’s Spanish personnel and was keen to highlight the importance of the P-3 aircraft to Op Atalanta’s mission; as the “eyes in the sky”, MPRA provides critical imagery to the Force Commander allowing decisions to be timely and well-considered in the counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia.