North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Counter-piracy operations

Growing piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa is threatening to undermine international humanitarian efforts in Africa, as well as safety of commercial maritime routes and international navigation. NATO is actively helping to increase security by conducting counter-piracy operations in the area.

On the request of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in late 2008, NATO started to provide escorts to UN World Food Programme vessels transiting through these dangerous waters under Operation Allied Provider (October-December 2008). This operations was succeeded by Operation Allied Protector (March-August 2009) and currently Operation Ocean Shield, which additionally offers training to regional countries in developing their own capacity to combat piracy activities.

NATO is conducting counter-piracy activities in full complementarity with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and with actions against piracy by other actors, including the European Union.

Operation Ocean Shield - ongoing

The mission, its objectives and scope

Piracy and armed robbery are threatening vital sea lines of communication and economic interests in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa, as well as disrupting the delivery of humanitarian aid to Somalia.

Building on previous counter-piracy missions conducted by NATO (Operation Allied Provider and Operation Allied Protector), Operation Ocean Shield is focusing on at-sea counter-piracy operations in the area.

A novelty is that the Alliance has broadened its approach to combating piracy by introducing a new element to its mission: it is offering, to regional states that request it, assistance in developing their own capacity to combat piracy activities.

This operation was approved by the North Atlantic Council on 17 August 2009 and is currently being implemented by the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2).

Composition of the naval force

NATO has two Immediate Reaction Forces: the Standing NATO Maritime Group composed of the SNMG1 and the SNMG2; and the Standing NATO Maritime Mine Countermeasure Groups (SNMCMG1 and SNMCMG2).

The Standing NATO Maritime Groups are a multinational, integrated maritime force made up of vessels from various allied countries. These vessels are permanently available to NATO to perform different tasks ranging from participating in exercises to actually intervening in operational missions. These groups provide NATO with a continuous maritime capability for NATO Response Force (NRF) operations, non-NRF operations and other activities in peacetime and in periods of crisis and conflict. They also help to establish Alliance presence, demonstrate solidarity, conduct routine diplomatic visits to different countries, support transformation and provide a variety of maritime military capabilities to ongoing missions.

SNMG2 is a multinational, integrated maritime force that is usually employed in the Mediterranean area, but it can deploy anywhere NATO requires. It is made up of vessels from different member countries. Countries that routinely contribute to SNMG2 are Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other countries have occasionally contributed.

The following ships are currently assigned to Operation Ocean Shield:

  • HS Navarinon (frigate F461, Greece);
  • ITS Libeccio (Italian frigate);
  • TCG Gediz (Turkish frigate);
  • HMS Cornwall (United Kingdom frigate);
  • USS Donald Cook (United States destroyer).
Command and structure

Normally, SNMG2 and SNMCMG2 come under the command of Allied Maritime Component Command (CC-Mar) Naples, which is one of the three Component Commands of Allied Joint Force Command Naples.

However, for Operation Ocean Shield, SNMG2 comes under the overall responsibility of Joint Headquarters Lisbon and the day-to-day tactical control of the operation is under the Allied Maritime Component Command (CC-Mar) Northwood. The commander of SNMG2 is currently Commodore Steve Chick (UK).

Past operations

Operation Allied Protector
  • The mission, its objectives and scope

    Operation Allied Protector helped to deter, defend against and disrupt pirate activities in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa.

    From 24 March until 29 June, the operation was conducted by SNMG1 vessels. SNMG1 is usually employed in the Eastern Atlantic area, but it can deploy anywhere NATO requires. The first phase of Operation Allied Protector was undertaken as the force left for NATO’s first ever deployment to South East Asia. It made a short visit to Karachi (Pakistan) on 26-27 April. However, with the increase in pirate attacks, on 24 April NATO had already decided to cancel the other two port visits planned to Singapore and Australia. As such, the second phase of the operation, which was meant to take place as SNMG1 made its return journey towards European waters end June, was brought forward to 1 May.

    From 29 June 2009, the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) took over responsibility from SNMG1 as part of the ongoing Operation Allied Protector. SNMG2 conducted NATO’s first counter-piracy operation – Operation Allied Provider (see below).
  • Composition of the naval force

    SNMG1

    Similarly to SNMG2, SNMG1 is a multinational, integrated maritime force. It is usually employed in the Eastern Atlantic area, but it can deploy anywhere NATO requires. It is made up of vessels from different member countries. Countries that routinely contribute to SNMG1 are Canada, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the United States. Other countries have occasionally contributed.

    The composition of SNMG1 varies as naval units are provided on a rotational four-to-six month basis. It is composed of between six and ten ships from as many NATO member countries. The five ships that participated in the operation from 24 March until 29 June were:
    • NRP Corte Real (flagship, Portugal)
    • HMCS Winnipeg (Canada)
    • HNLMS de Zeven Provinciën (The Netherlands)
    • SPS Blas de Lezo (Spain)
    • USS Halyburton (United States)

    SNMG2

    The composition of SNMG2 varies. The ships assigned to the operation on 29 June 2009 were:
    • - ITS Libeccio (frigate, Italy);
    • - HS Navarinon (frigate F461, Greece);
    • - TCG Gediz (frigate F495, Turkey);
    • - HMS Cornwall (frigate F99, United Kingdom); and
    • - USS Laboon (destroyer DDG58, United States).

  • Command and structure

    SNMG1

    SNMG1 and SNMCMG1 come under the command of Allied Maritime Component Command Headquarters Northwood, in the United Kingdom, which is one of the three Component Commands of Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum. While SNMG 1 conducted the operation, Rear Admiral Jose Pereira de Cunha (PO) was in command.

    SNMG2

    Normally, SNMG2 and SNMCMG2 come under the command of Allied Maritime Component Command (CC-Mar) Naples, which is one of the three Component Commands of Allied Joint Force Command Naples.

    However, for Operation Allied Protector, SNMG2 was put under the Operational Control of Component Command Headquarters Northwood, and under the overall responsibility of Joint Headquarters Lisbon. Current counter-piracy manoeuvres are therefore led by Commodore Steve Chick (UK).
Operation Allied Provider
  • The mission, its objectives and scope

    Allied Operation Allied Provider was responsible for naval escorts to World Food Program (WFP) vessels and, more generally, patrolled the waters around Somalia. Alliance presence also helped to deter acts of piracy that continue to threaten the region.

    While providing close protection for WFP vessels and patrolling routes most susceptible to criminal acts against merchant vessels, NATO ships could use force pursuant to the authorized Rules of Engagement and in compliance with relevant international and national law.

    Allied Provider was a temporary operation that was requested by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, on 25 September 2008. NATO provided this counter-piracy capacity in support of UNSC Resolutions 1814, 1816 and 1838, and in coordination with other international actors, including the European Union.

    NATO defence ministers agreed to respond positively to the UN’s request on 9 October, during an informal meeting held in Budapest, Hungary. Following this decision, planning started to redirect assets of SNMG2 to conduct anti-piracy duties.

    SNMG2 was already scheduled to conduct a series of Gulf port visits in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates within the framework of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI). As such, it started to transit the Suez Canal on 15 October to conduct both duties at the same time.

  • Composition of the naval force

    At the time of the operation, SNMG2 comprised seven ships from Germany, Greece, Italy, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, of which three were assigned to Operation Allied Provider:
    • ITS Durand de la Penne (flagship, destroyer D560, Italy);
    • HS Temistokles (frigate F465, Greece);
    • HMS Cumberland (frigate F85, United Kingdom).

    The other four ships (FGS Karlsruhe-Germany; FGS Rhön-Germany; TCG Gokova-Turkey; and USS The Sullivans-USA) continued deployment to ICI countries. This was the first time a NATO-flagged force deployed to the Gulf.

  • Command and structure

    At the time of the operation, SNMG2 was commanded by Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero, Italian Navy, who was appointed to this post in July 2008. He reported to the Commander of Allied Component Command Maritime (CC-Mar) Naples. CC_Mar Naples is one of the three Component Commands of Allied Joint Force Command Naples.