Operation Aspides, also known as EUNAVFOR Aspides, is an EU military operation in response to Houthi engagements with international shipping in the Red Sea.[2] In contrast to the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian, EU officials have underlined the "purely defensive" nature of EUNAVFOR Aspides. The purpose of the operation is to provide escort to merchant vessels in the area, defend against strikes and increase maritime surveillance in the region. The name of the operation comes from the Greek word for shields.[3]
| Operation Aspides | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Red Sea crisis, Spillover of the Israel–Hamas war | |||||
  | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
| |||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
 Stefano Costantino[1] |
 Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour | ||||
| Strength | |||||
1 Destroyer |  Unclear (see Houthi armed strength) | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| Various drones | |||||
Background
Since the start of the Israel–Gaza war, the Houthi movement has engaged with and boarded certain ships passing through the Red Sea, as a response to the Israeli attacks in Gaza and the rest of Palestine since October.[4]
Since the beginning of the conflict, at least four EU country-flagged ships have been struck by the Houthis.[5][6][7][8]
Mission
On 8 February, EU member states took a decision in the Council of the European Union to start Operation Aspides which is to begin on 19 February and last one year, with its base of operations being in Greece and in charge of operations being a Hellenic Navy officer.[9][10]
The purpose of the operation is, according the European External Action Service, to protect merchant vessels against strikes, to accompany them and to reinforce maritime situational awareness in the region.[11] It thus has a "purely defensive" mandate, something which has also been underlined by EU officials, in contrast to the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian.[12] The mission is instructed to coordinate closely with Operation Atalanta, another EU-led naval mission in the wider region.[1]
Force structure
The operational headquarters of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES is the Hellenic European Union Operational Headquarters (EL EU OHQ) in Larissa, Greece, led by the Operation Commander, Greek Commodore Vasileios Gryparis.[13][1] The European External Action Service has indicated that 130 staff officers will be based in the operational headquarters.[11]
On 22 February, the Government of Sweden announced that Sweden will be sending some military personnel to participate in Operation Apsides. Sweden will initially send four staff officers with the possibility to increase the number to ten.[14][15] On 8 March, Finland made a decision to participate in the operation by sending a maximum of five soldiers with staff duties, in addition to dispatching up to two soldiers with similar responsibilities to Operation Prosperity Guardian.[16] On 28 March, the government of Estonia announced that one member of the Estonian Defence Forces will participate in the operation.[17]
The Force Commander in the Red Sea is Italian Rear Admiral Stefano Costantino, based on the Italian destroyer Caio Duilio.[1][18]
| Ship | Nationality | Class | Notes | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caio Duilio |  Italian Navy | Destroyer | Operation Flagship | [19] |
| Virginio Fasan | Italian Navy | Frigate | - | [20] |
| Federico Martinengo | Italian Navy | Frigate | - | [20] |
| Hessen |  German Navy | Frigate | Embarks 2 Sea Lynx Mk88A. Left the area of operations on 21 April 2024 after a successful deployment. | [21][22] [23][24] |
| Louise-Marie |  Belgian Navy | Frigate | Embarks an NH90. Scheduled to transit the Suez Canal on April 12, deployment indefinitely postponed due to failed operational and technical tests while transiting the Mediterranean Sea, including an incident where a RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile was reportedly "stuck" in its launch tube. On 27 April, the issues were resolved and Louise-Marie set course for the area of operations. | [25][22][26][27][28] |
| Hydra |  Hellenic Navy | Frigate | - | [22][18] |
| Languedoc |  French Navy | Frigate | - | [29] |
| Alsace | French Navy | Frigate | [30] | |
| Tromp |  Royal Netherlands Navy | Frigate | Embarks an NH90. Was deployed under Operation Prosperity Guardian for 25 days from late March 2024 to late April 2024 while en-route to the Indo-Pacific, delivering "associated support" for Operation Aspides. | [31][32] |
| Karel Doorman | Royal Netherlands Navy | Joint support ship | To be deployed from May to August under operation Aspides, embarking a Eurocopter AS532 Cougar and a Swedish surgical team. To deliver "associated support" for Operation Prosperity Guardian. | [33][34][35] |
Timeline of events
On 27 February, the German frigate Hessen engaged and destroyed two Houthi drones.[36]
On 2 March, the Greek frigate Hydra passed the Suez Canal to join the operation in the Red Sea.[18]
On the same day, the Italian destroyer Caio Duilio shot down a Houthi missile over the Red Sea. The missile was within 4 miles (6.4 km) of the destroyer before it was shot down.[37] On 12 March, the Italian Ministry of Defense reported that the Caio Duilio had shot down two Houthi drones in self-defense.[38]
On 13 March, the Greek frigate Hydra shot down 2 Houthi drones.[39][40]
On 12 April, Belgian frigate Louise-Marie failed technical operational tests in the Mediterranean Sea while en-route to the area of operations, delaying her deployment indefinitely. Reportedly, one of the test failures included a case where a RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile reportedly got "stuck" in its launch tube.[41][42]
On 20 March, a French Navy helicopter deployed in the area of the Gulf of Aden, the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea to fight against the Houthi rebels has shot down a drone, the first time this has happened.[43]
On 21 March, a German Navy Sea Lynx Mk88A helicopter engaged and destroyed an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) when it approached a civilian convoy under tow. [23] On the same day, the French frigate Alsace shot down three Houthi ballistic missiles.[44]
As of 26 March, the French had fired 22 Aster missiles.[45]
On 6 April, the German frigate Hessen intercepted a missile launched from Houthi-controlled territory.[46]
On 25 April, the Greek frigate Hydra fired shots at two drones as part of its mission in the Gulf of Aden. According to reports the incident occurred while the frigate was deployed to protect a merchant vessel in the maritime route. The Greek frigate reportedly shot at two Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) using its 127mm cannon, where one drone was shot down, and the other altered course away from the merchant vessel.[47]
On 27 April, the issues affecting the deployment of Belgian frigate Louise-Marie were resolved, and the ship set course to the area of operations in the Red Sea.[28]