Always alert – the Spanish Mission Support Centre, based in Djibouti, is responsible for the planning and monitoring of the Orion Detachment’s flying missions and for the management of information and intelligence gathered in support of Operation Atalanta counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia.

Operations, intelligence and photo interpretation – these three sections are manned by a very specialized, highly-motivated team.  After carrying out in-depth planning, they keep a watchful eye over the Spanish Air Force’s P-3 aircraft as it flies along the coast of Somalia, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean on the lookout for any potential pirate activity.

Before the Spanish P-3 takes to the air a full list of checks and detailed mission planning is carried out.

Once the plane is airborne monitoring is uninterrupted and the flow of information back to base is continuous.

After landing back at the airbase a full analysis of the information gathered begins, with the results passed to the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Kaack, on board the Operation Atalanta flagship, FGS Bayern.

Due to the outstanding efforts of the Spanish Maritime Air crew, Operation Atalanta helps to ensure that there is no hiding place for would-be Somali pirates.