Maltese military in anti-piracy training
(BRUSSELS2) Before their deployment this summer off the coast of Somalia, the Maltese soldiers are training with their Dutch counterparts in anti-piracy techniques, landing on a ship, visiting and rope descent of a helicopter (as shown in the photo taken on May 8 in Gilze-Rijen).
The Dutch Navy amphibious transport ship Zr. ms Johan de Witt will be deployed as part of the European operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta this summer. It will have on board an on-board protection team (EPE or VPD), Maltese soldiers, able to go and ensure the visits of ships or to ensure the protection of one of the World Food Program ships during its journey in the 'Indian Ocean.
Six weeks of training to be fully operational
The Maltese forces do not have special forces or marines, usually dedicated to this type of mission. But according to Marine Infantry Lieutenant Daan Dreijer, who participated in the trainings, “ their basic level is good. And with these formations, they will be able to act as specialized teams ».
A very useful device
Several European navies - deployed in the Indian Ocean - have developed similar collaborations with the military of several countries of modest size. The Germans and French with the Estonians, the Dutch with the Maltese (already embarked during previous campaigns in 2010 and 2011).
This has several concrete advantages: allowing forces from "small countries" to be deployed in international operations, in contexts that are sometimes very different from their usual training; facilitate interoperability between the different European armies; to save the manpower of the navies already well employed in the Indian Ocean and to multiply the efforts. A well-disposed and trained VPD team on a WFP ship keeps a ship fully operational for other missions.
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