NATO launches Operation 'Sea Guardian'

摘要

NATO launched Operation 'Sea Guardian' on 9 November: its new maritime security mission in the central Mediterranean. Three NATO frigates (Italy's ITS Aviere, Bulgaria's BGS Verni, and Turkey's TCG Gemlik) and two submarines (Greece's HS Papan-ikolis and Spain's ESPS Mistral) are conducting the first patrols. Its core missions of maritime situ-ational awareness, counter-terrorism and capacity building can be expanded to include missions such as freedom of navigation and interdiction tasks and the protection of critical infrastructure.