French Navy Joins Mediterranean Anti-Terrorism Operations

French ship Commandant Birot participates in Operation Active Endeavour.

NISIDA, Naples, Nov.12. - Unpredictable and intense periods of maritime operations aimed at disrupting any attempt by terrorists to maneuver in the Mediterranean Sea are one of the tools employed by NATO to help deter, defend, disrupt and protect against terrorism. Known as Deterrent Surges, these operations involve NATO assets converging on defined areas for a pre-planned period of time so as to deter terrorists but also to build and extend the Alliance’s Maritime Situational Awareness of the area.

Beginning Nov. 12 NATO will concentrate assets in the Eastern Mediterranean for more than a week’s intense patrolling:

“The backbone of this Surge is the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 and maritime air reconnaissance. To this we are adding ships made available specifically for this operation,” said Captain Olivier Bodhuin Chief of Operations at Headquarters Maritime Command, Naples. “France and Romania are putting valuable contributions into this Surge demonstrating the importance nations still give to OAE after more than 10 years of operations. Commandante Birot recently came out of Operation Unified Protector and as a Frenchman I have a great personal satisfaction in seeing Birot join the Surge in direct support to operations,” stated Bodhuin.


According to Rear Adm. Javier Gonzalez-Huix, deputy chief of Staff, Operations, work on Operation Active Endeavour never ceased for one moment despite the headquarters commanding recent Maritime Operations in support of Libya: “Clearly the demands for Unified Protector were enormous but the focus on OAE never went away in this HQ. Remember that OAE is a lot more than just the ships at sea. There is a supporting network of intelligence and sophisticated technology that runs all day, every day”.

NATO Maritime Command Naples
Story by David Taylor

Posted in: NAVY