Three candidates for an HQ. Rota, Rome, Paris… Who will take over from Northwood in 2019?
(B2) While the United Kingdom tries to safeguard its irreplaceable role of defense in Europe, negotiations are going well behind the scenes to offer an alternative to the British headquarters (HQ) of the anti-piracy operation of the EU, located in Northwood, near London, by 2019. Three candidates are in the running... and one seems the favourite, in our opinion.
Brexit, which should take place in 2019, requires finding a new HQ for this operation, which could be extended, in one way or another, after the current mandate, ending in December 2018.
Rota (Spain): the favorite
The Spaniards would be candidates to take over the role devolved to the British as framework nation and command of the anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia. Madrid has thus displayed its " availability » in an official letter addressed to Federica Mogherini last December, to make available his headquarters in Rota, the main base of the Spanish Armada (1). Admittedly, Spain does not have a HQ approved by the European Union. But that doesn't seem not be a blocking question “, according to a military expert consulted by B2. In fact, the Milex-18 exercise, organized by the European Union, in March, should be an opportunity to certify that the headquarters of the fleet is ready to do so.
Spain has a certain legitimacy in this proposal. She first played a leading role in setting up Operation Atalanta (at a time when few countries really believed in it, read: France and Spain decided to act on maritime piracy). It has lent its support on numerous occasions to the operation with ships. It is today the only nation to provide operational means in the mission: a ship and a maritime patrol aircraft (read: Latvian chemical tanker attacked by pirates off Somalia). If the commander of the operation is the British Charlie Stickland, the number 2 is Spanish, Rear Admiral Alfonso Pérez de Nanclares y Pérez de Acevedo. Finally, for Madrid, the reputation of its navy is a reaffirmed priority, as the recent investment plan proves (After ten years of food shortage, Spain wants to reinvest in its army).
Rome: the natural candidate
Italy can also be a candidate. It has, for it, the advantage of already having a headquarters, that of Rome, already activated and operational, since it serves as HQ for the European operation in the Mediterranean to fight against trafficking. In a way, commanding a second operation from the same headquarters would have a minimal 'cost' in terms of deployable personnel. It would allow the Italians to become a nerve center for all EU maritime operations.
Paris: the outsider
France has not activated, for the European Union, its headquarters in Mont-Valérien since 2008 and the EUFOR operation in Chad. But it can quickly ramp up. It would also mean that France returns as the framework nation for the maritime operation. The idea toyed with for a moment seems, today, to be put aside, according to our information. France would support Spain, we are reminded.
NB: three other HQs exist at European level: Potsdam in Germany and Larrissa in Greece, as well as Brussels (which is currently only activated for EU military training missions). None of them was mentioned, according to our information, to command the maritime operation.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde, with Leonor Hubaut)
(1) The Armada is more than 20.000 soldiers. And of the 10.800 "Infantes de marineria", 6000 are in Rota as indicated by the From Cadiz. A military base that also houses the US Navy in the Mediterranean.
(photo credit: Spanish Armada)
