Focus on the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircrafts, constantly operating for EU NAVFOR Somalia in cooperation with warships.
Their main mission is to fly over the theatre of operation, detect suspicious skiffs, and guide warships to their position. They are also able to collect intelligence on some specific areas. The aircrafts are equipped with several advanced surveillance systems which significantly enhance EU NAVFORs Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability in the Somali Basin and in the Gulf of Aden. Their speed and high level of endurance make them a key asset in a wide area comparable to that of the Mediterranean Sea.
EUNAVFOR MPRA flying over a skiff
Intelligence collecting by EUNAVFOR MPRA
Until this date, the MPRAs of Luxembourg, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden and Portugal have been operating together with EU NAVFOR warships. The MPRAs usually take off from Djibouti, Mombasa (Kenya) or Port Victoria (Seychelles).
Portugese MPRA – P3 CUPSpanish MPRA – Aviocar C 212
French MPRA – Atlantique 2
Source: EUNAVFOR