Category: Security policy

Hat-trick for HMS Montrose

After two drug finds in February, the British frigate Montrose has now scored again. The soldiers were able to seize drugs worth more than three million pounds on a suspicious dhow. The Montrose's helicopter had spotted the small boat in the northern Arabian Sea. The commander decided to investigate and steered his ship in the direction of the dhow. Only when the frigate, the boarding team in a speedboat and the Sea Lynx had located the suspicious boat did its captain stop. The boarding team then found three tonnes of illegal substances on board, including 2.8 tonnes of heroin alone. Only shortly before, the...

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US fonops continue

On 10 March, the US destroyer John Finn transited the Taiwan Strait. This took place as part of the Freedom of Navigation Operations (Fonops) proclaimed by the United States. The USA is thus emphasising its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and at the same time taking a stand against China's policy of claiming large parts of the South China Sea as its territory. China's reaction was not long in coming. The spokesman for the eastern PLA command, Colonel Zhang Chunhui, announced in writing that "China strongly opposes this". The behaviour of the US ship sends the wrong signal. America is thus interfering in the regional situation without justification...

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Pirate attack in the Gulf of Guinea

Pirates have once again attacked a ship in the Gulf of Guinea. On 11 March, the Maltese-flagged product tanker Davide B was sailing around 220 miles south-west of Lagos when nine men are believed to have attacked the ship. According to AIS data, the Davide B reduced its speed from 10 to 3 knots, then the automatic identification system was switched off. Only six members of the 21-strong crew were able to escape to the citadel. The 15 remaining sailors were kidnapped and taken off board. After nine hours, the Nigerian supply ship Qua Iboe River was able to join the Davide B. The Davide B was on its way from Riga...

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Successful communication test with Nato AGS

Nato's Allied Maritime Command is based in Northwood in the UK. Its Maritime Air Operations Team (Marair) was able to carry out a flight with the NATO Alliance Ground System (AGS) at the end of February, during which communication between the headquarters and the drone was successfully tested. The AGS was located over the central Mediterranean. A communication link was established between Northwood, Sigonella Air Base in Sicily and the NATO Air Command and Combined Air Operations Centre in Torrejon, Spain. The sensor data supplied by the AGS was then compared with the AIS situation picture in Northwood and verified. The additional data provided by the drone...

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Departure for the Mediterranean

A few hours ago, the Einsatzgruppenversorger (EGV) Berlin left its home port of Wilhelmshaven. Under the command of frigate captain Stefan Klatt, the ship will take over the contingent for Operation Irini in the coming weeks. The focus will be on monitoring the UN arms embargo against Libya. Berlin is authorised to stop and search suspicious ships in the area of operation. In addition, information is to be collected and the export of crude oil and refined petroleum products from the North African country is to be prevented. In this way, Berlin is supporting the Libyan coastguard and navy. Its operational area extends to the high seas outside the coastal seas of Libya and Tunisia. To the...

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