Headquarters for EUNav Somalia: Northwood and Djibouti?

Which headquarters could be used for the future EU naval operation off Somalia - in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean - which can be called "EuNav" in the context of the fight against piracy ? The question is one of the questions to be resolved for the rest of the operation.

Seven military operation headquarters (OHQ) can be used by the EU: NATO's Shape Headquarters in Mons under the "Berlin Plus" agreements, five HQs established in one of the EU member countries (1) and the Military Staff in Brussels. Three are currently operational or activated: Mons (Shape) for the Althea operation, Paris (Mont-Valérien) for the Eufor operation in Chad/CAR and Brussels, which is used for pre-operation planning but does not lead any operation.

L'OHQ – operation headquarters

For the OHQ - headquarters of the operation - of "EuNav" Aden, an option was immediately excluded: "the Shape solution does not seem practicable" is mentioned. Failing to be at the Headquarters in Brussels, the OHQ could therefore be located in North London in Northwood. The United Kingdom has more or less informally submitted its candidacy, and seems ready to defend it to the end... Established in 1996, this operational center is the headquarters of the joint British forces. He is directly responsible for and coordinates external deployments (Iraq, Afghanistan, Balkans). Made up of around 630 people from all three services - according to the British Ministry of Defense - it is led in turn by one of its senior officers, currently Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Houghton. It also serves as the headquarters of NATO's maritime component (Allied Maritime Component Command Headquarters Northwood = in NATO jargon: CC MAR HQ Northwood). The advantage is certain: having an already operational district and being able to liaise with NATO (all the more useful as the CTF 150, combined task force 150 as part of the operation "Immutable Freedom" also crosses the region "). Another advantage: the international maritime office is also located in London.

The big handicap and disadvantage of Northwood is precisely there: with NATO connotations, it will be more difficult for "EuNav" to include other ships, from the Russian navy for example, in the operation (the Russian navy seems willing to intervene (2)). The hypothesis of an OHQ placed in Brussels - or even in Mont-Valérien - is therefore not excluded. On the other hand, the use of the OHQ of Larissa in Greece does not seem possible: not being operational and the Greeks not having proposed it; similarly, the Italians and Germans did not offer their OHQ.
Le FHQ - force headquarters

The FHQ - force headquarters - could be located in Djibouti, next to the French military base (the largest French base abroad). Permanently established, France has there - as reported by the General Staff - approximately 2900 men, helicopter (5 Puma, 2 Gazelle, 2 Puma, 1 Fennec) and air (10 Mirage 2000, 1 C160, 1 Bréguet Atlantic) and several ships. She had hosted during the attack of Spanish ships, air assets. The authorities of the country seem to agree, at first sight, to welcome the Europeans. And, on the French side, a device identical to that set up in Chad - with the EFT (French Elements in Chad) - could be found. That is to say: clear identification of the European headquarters in a separate unit but sharing certain logistical means. With an advantage, on Chad, the need for "neutrality", in relation to the French base, is not as imperative.

(updated Oct 10): Rome has also offered its OHQ. With Brussels and Northwood, there are now three possibilities...

(1) Northwood (UK), Potsdam, Berlin (Germany); Rome (Italy), Larissa (Greece), Mont-Valérien - Paris (France).

(2) Read:Operation EU Navco Somalia, the 2nd phase is getting ready