The Commander of the U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group 10 visits the Spanish Command of NATO’s counter-piracy operation

Rear-admiral Eugenio Díaz del Río, Commander of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) currently participating in operation ‘Ocean Shield’ fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean, welcomed Rear-admiral Kevin M. Sweeney, Commander of the U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group 10.

The two flagships, the Spanish F-100 frigate and the U.S. CVN-75, rendezvoused in the Gulf of Oman. Rear-admiral Sweeney arrived on board the frigate’s SH-60B helicopter and was welcomed by RA Díaz del Río and the ship’s commanding officer, Commander Enrique Núñez de Prado.

During the visit, the Commander of Carrier Strike Group 10 was briefed on the current counter-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden. The ship’s Commander explained the capabilities of the F-100 frigates equipped with the AEGIS Combat System, similar to the ones mounted on the U.S. Navy ‘Arleigh Burke’-class warships.

Operation ‘Ocean Shield’

NATO has been contributing to the international endeavor to counter piracy in the Horn of Africa since December 2008. The original operation ‘Allied Provider’ escorted UN and World Food Program (WFP) ships. The name was subsequently changed to ‘Allied Protector’ enhancing the scope of the mission to a comprehensive shipping protection scheme in the Gulf of Aden. The current operation, ‘Ocean Shield’, not only fights piracy in the area, but helps build regional capabilities to counter pirate activities.

NATO’s standing naval groups 1 and 2 rotate every six months in this operation. This commitment will be in force, in principle, until the end of 2014.

Apart from the frigate ‘Cristóbal Colón’ (F-105), other SNMG-2 warships participate in this operation; namely the Turkish ship ‘Gokceada’, the Italian ‘Mimbelli’ and the Royal Netherlands Navy ship ‘Evertsen’. Shortly, the U.S. Navy ship ‘USS Taylor’ will join this NATO task force.