(exclusive) Surprise change at the head of Atalanta: Jones resigns

(B2) Surprise relief in command of the EUNAVFOR Atalanta operation. Although he had been appointed for a year, the commander of Operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta, Rear Admiral Phil Jones, who has been in command of the European anti-piracy operation from the start, and gave him his letters of nobility, should leave within a few weeks, according to concordant information. A decision apparently internal to the British, which was not planned and surprised everyone (some in Northwood are not yet aware). It was only yesterday (Tuesday 29th), it seems, that the British ambassador to the COPS (the Political and Security Committee) informed his colleagues of the "need" to replace Jones, who ci having been promoted to the rank of "vice-admiral" in the General Staff of the British Navy. He should be appointed deputy to the commander-in-chief of the fleet. Jones should be replaced at the beginning of June at the head of the operation by Rear-Admiral Peter D. Hudson, who has just risen in rank. What becomes a habit...

(update) Hudson, a close friend of Jones, will take over from him. Aged 48, Hudson has until now been in command of the British Navy Amphibious Force (COMATG), based in Portsmouth. A position formerly held by Jones. And still today, he is in fact the deputy of Jones who is the command of the maritime forces UK. The two men met, not long ago, during the exercise Taurus 09 - the classic exercise of the force which has just been held in the Mediterranean... and continues, in April, in the Red Sea, and in the Indian Ocean (areas where the Commodore was also able to discover "life with the pirates ") before normally continuing east. Suffice to say that these are not two strangers. Hudson also commanded HMS Norfolk and HMS Albion. He currently lives in Fishbourne (West Sussex) and has two sons: Hugh (10) and Jamie (7). More information will follow... (if so... I
don't know if he plays guitar or other hobbies..-;)

The commander leaves... But also his deputy. This succession was planned from the start. Since the French rear admiral Labonne had to give way to a German colleague at mid-term. This relief should take place on June 5th. The new deputy commander is expected to be Flotilla Admiral Torsten Kähler (1 star), who is currently Deputy Chief of Planning at the German General Staff.

(photo: Royal Navy, notice to amateurs: Hudson is still "Commodore" in this photo which dates from mid-April)