Eunavfor Med strengthens its capacities. A forward airbase in Pantelleria
(B2) The European operation to combat traffickers in the Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR MED Sophia) has been strengthened on the air side. A Greek airborne team joined the operation.
A Greek detection plane
The Greeks thus bring an Erieye aircraft (EMB-145H), allowing air and surface detection and airborne command (1). This aircraft operates from the Greek air base of Elefsis - 20 km from Athens - but is made available to the European operation. The Spanish Navy has, for its part, replaced its SH 60 helicopter, embarked since October 5, on the Spanish frigate ESPS Canarias (F-86), by an AB-212 helicopter.
In all, 3 1/2 planes and 3 helicopters
The aerial component of Operation Sophia can thus count today on three helicopters (2 Italian EH101s, embarked on the Garibaldi, and the Spanish AB-212 on the ship ESPS Canarias) and four planes (2): the Erieye Greek, based in Greece, a P3 Orion Spanish and a Falcon 50 French (part-time) and the reconnaissance aircraft SW3 Merlin III Luxembourg, normally based in Sigonella (Sicily), which has just tested a new base in Pantelleria.
A new air base in the open sea
The Europeans are in fact setting up a new forward operating base (FOB - Forward Operational Base), at the small airport of Pantelleria. This small island, of volcanic origin, is located in the open sea, northwest of Lampedusa and halfway between the Tunisian coasts and Sicily. This base has the advantage compared to the usual base of Sigonella, located near Catania, to avoid all of southern Sicily, and to save precious time (about 1/2 hour). Another advantage for the crews is that the heat is less intense. Life is probably less hectic there than in Sicily. But if they have 5 minutes, they can always go and taste the 'devil's wine' of actress Carole Bouquet who acquired land and a vineyard.
(HL & NGV)
(1) In fact an R99A, the military version of the Embraer ERJ 145, equipped with the Swedish Erieye airborne radar from Saab
(2) The two types of aircraft, however, have very different uses: the aircraft flying over an area can do so very discreetly, from a distance, without those concerned knowing it. It also allows depth of action. And nothing prohibits (technically) that he can also make an equally discreet surveillance of what is happening in Libya, in particular on the side of Sirte and the other port cities where Daesh / ISIS seems to have settled. The helicopter has a shorter, less discreet range, allowing visual or even human contact in the area. This is more of a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission.