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Maritime Interdiction Exercise Successful in Med
Story Number: NNS031027-09
Release Date: 10/27/2003 2:34:00 PM
By Lt. Corey Barker, Naval Station Rota Public Affairs
WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NNS) -- Warships from four North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations completed maritime interdiction exercises Oct. 17, to train in one of the world's hotbeds of maritime activity.
Ships and military patrol aircraft tirelessly searched the open waters for two mysterious ships somewhere in the Western Mediterranean Sea that were, according to simulated intelligence reports, suspected of transporting weapons of mass destruction to countries known to harbor international terrorists.
For more than 12 hours, the multinational task group searched the choppy seas until a French patrol aircraft located the two Spanish Navy auxiliary ships posing as cargo vessels smuggling weapons of mass destruction, and called in four nearby warships to intercept and investigate. Guided-missile frigates from France, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States headed to the target vessels.
The French Frigate FS Jacovet (F 754) and British Frigate HMS Somerset (F 82) arrived on scene first and immediately challenged one of the suspect cargo ships. The ship’s master agreed to allow a boarding party search the ship. After a thorough inspection with nothing found, the ship was released to continue its journey. This was not the case with the other vessel.
USS Nicholas (FFG 47) and the Spanish Frigate SPS Navarra (F 85) tightly flanked the other cargo ship, as a U.S. Navy SH-60 helicopter with Spanish snipers in the door flew low overhead, searching the decks for threats. The cargo ship refused to respond to orders to reduce speed and alter course. Even after several volleys of flares, warning shots and further demands to stop the engines, the suspect vessel continued to ignore the relentless demands to comply with a boarding and inspection.
The two frigates moved in closer to further strangle the ship as an UH-1 Huey helicopter with a team of Spanish Commandos moved in to commandeer the vessel. The helicopter stayed low and fast approaching from behind until the last minute when the pilot flared the heavy helicopter up over the back of the ship dropping two thick ropes to the deck. Commandos immediately slid down the ropes and within seconds a heavily armed platoon of Spanish Commandos were on the deck making their way up to the bridge to secure the ship. The entire vessel was under positive control within minutes and an inspection ensued.
The ship was detained when simulated weapons of mass destruction were discovered. The ship and crew were turned over to Spanish civilian authorities in the port of Valencia, Spain.
This heart-pounding training exercise was the climax of the Spanish-led SANSO 2003 Maritime Interdiction Operation exercise in the Western Mediterranean Sea with armed forces from the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal and France. Military planners from the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) developed the training scenario based on real world events. The PSI is an association of eleven countries that have developed principles to identify practical steps necessary to interdict shipments of weapons of mass destruction being illegally transported by land, air and sea.
The eleven PSI participants have agreed to a series of ten interdiction-training exercises in order to improve multinational response and cooperation to the global risk of WMD falling into the hands of terrorists. According to the SANSO 2003 Task Group Commander, Capitan Ramón A. Márquez from the Spanish Navy, the illegal transportation of weapons of mass destruction is a serious threat to national and international security.
Márquez said, “PSI is a global initiative with global scope to respond to a global threat,”
Cmdr. Chan Swallow, commanding officer of USS Nicholas (FFG-47), said, “SANSO 2003 was a very successful exercise and proved that the participants are exceedingly capable and ready to execute joint interdiction operations at a moment’s notice. Because of that, the PSI partners have agreed to an ongoing series of training exercises to further improve the ability to conduct joint Maritime Interdiction Operations in a multinational environment.”
He explained that this commitment reinforces the initiative to take active measures against the international trafficking of weapons of mass destruction by air, land or sea.
The eleven PSI members include the United States, Spain, Italy, Australia, Japan, Germany, France, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
For related news, visit the Naval Station Rota, Spain Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/rota.
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