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Operation Allied Protector was an anti-piracy military operation undertaken by NATO forces from March - August 2009 in the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, and off the Horn of Africa to protect maritime routes from pirates within the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). It was the second NATO anti-piracy operation in area following Operation Allied Provider and was succeeded by Operation Ocean Shield.
Contents
From March 24 - June 2009, the operation was conducted by Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1). This was the first time that SNMG1, which had previously operated in the Eastern Atlantic, was deployed to Southeast Asia. From June 29 – August 2009, Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) took over responsibility from SNMG1.
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Operations
On 16 March 2009, SNMG1 departed from Souda Bay for the Gulf of Aden.
On 28 March 2009, the USS Halyburton received a piracy emergency call from Grandezza, a 37-meter Maldivian flagged yacht in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel reported that it was under machinegun and rocket-propelled grenade attack from at least one pirate skiff. Two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters were scrambled from the Halyburton and disrupted the attack. Due to the distance from the incident, the pirates were able to retreat before NATO surface forces arrived. The HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën later debriefed the crew of the Grandezza and obtained statements and photographs from the attack.
On 18 April 2009, at approximately 3:00 pm local time, the RFA Wave Knight stopped an attempted pirate attack of the Norwegian oil tanker MV Front Ardenne. Seven pirates were ultimately detained after a several hour pursuit involving the HMCS Winnipeg, USS Halyburton, and the Wave Knight. According to NATO, the suspects were "interrogated, disarmed,...[and]were set free according to national regulations."
From 26–27 April 2009, SNMG1 made a port call in Karachi, Pakistan. Due to an increased amount of pirate activity, two other port visits in Singapore and Australia were cancelled. Furthermore, the end of SNMG1's participation in the operation was brought forward from June to May.
On 1 May 2009, the NRP Côrte-Real intervened in an attempted pirate attack of the Norwegian oil tanker MV Kition. The sole pirate skiff retreated to a dhow mothership, which was later intercepted by NATO surface forces. Eight Portuguese marines boarded the craft and detained 19 suspects and recovered several weapons, including several high-explosives. According to the Côrte-Real's commander, this was the first time that such weapons were recovered from a pirate vessel.
On 24 May 2009, a Canadian frigate boarded two pirate skiffs off the coast of Somalia, resulting in seizure of equipment, arms, and ammunition.
Deployed Units
The following units were deployed in Operation Allied Protector: