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  • Originally posted by EUFighter View Post
    UN Arms Embargo, . But the Italians are never going to do that as it suits them to have Turkey supply arms to Libya.
    Interesting, the Italian Navy have a presence in the Gulf of Guinea and intervened to prevent MV TORM ALEXANDER being boarded by pirates on 7th November. They launched their helo, who used bursts from their door mounted HMG to stitch a deterrent pattern across the pirates fast boat. The Italians are part of an EU Defence strategy in 6000nm of African coastal regions from Angola northwards. I think I saw Torm Alexander in Whitegate some time ago.

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    • #FieldVision: The immediate priority is to consolidate peace and stability in Libya. IRINI’s work is indispensable for that | EEAS Website (europa.eu)

      #FieldVision: The immediate priority is to consolidate peace and stability in Libya. IRINI’s work is indispensable for that

      25.04.2022 Strategic Communications
      ‘IRINI is one essential component of an all-encompassing process to support the EU’s and the international community’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to seek a permanent political solution to the Libyan crisis’ explains Commander Cathal Power, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations of EUNAV FOR MED IRINI.

      Do you want to know what it looks like to work in a EU military or civilian mission? Field Vision brings a fresh and personal approach from the EU’s civilian and military missions and operations, sharing first-hand experiences from around the world and showing how European women and men contribute to global security, peace and stability. Stay tuned for more stories in the coming weeks.
      'I arrived in the Operation in late November 2021, taking over my duties as the Deputy of the Operations Branch (DACOS Operations CJ3) from an Irish colleague, Commander Darragh Kirwan. What was readily apparent from the outset was the high operational tempo in the Operational Headquarters (OHQ). The Operations Branch (CJ3) and the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) are the heart of the OHQ, ensuring that the Operation Commander is kept informed of all developments in the Operation Area.

      Operation IRINI is one of the EU’s two maritime military operations. The core task of the Operation is the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. IRINI is the only international actor doing so. The Operation is part of the European integrated approach to Libya involving political, military, economic and humanitarian efforts to bring stability and security to the country. What is very clear to the Operation Commander, Rear Admiral Stefano Turchetto, and to all members of the Operation is that Operation IRINI is one essential component of an all-encompassing process to support the EU’s and the international community’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to seek a permanent political solution to the Libyan crisis.

      To implement its core task, IRINI patrols the Mediterranean Sea, within the limits of its Area of Operations, hails vessels passing through to gather information, performs friendly approaches, and carries out boarding and inspections of suspect vessels. The Operation also produces reports that are shared with the UN Panel of Experts on Libya to support their work and that of the UN Sanctions Committee. Since its launch almost two years ago, the Operation has conducted more than 6,000 hailings, 246 friendly approaches and 22 inspections of suspect vessels, and has shared more than 30 reports with the Panel of Experts.



      As the ongoing geopolitical crises around Europe continue to place strains on the available naval and air assets of contributing nations, the planned force flow of Members States’ assets is vital to ensure the delivery of operational outputs and to implement the UN sanctioned arms embargo. As such, Operation IRINI is an intelligence-driven operation, utilising remote sensing (satellite) information, maritime air patrols and information from Member States and EU agencies, which facilitates an effective, expeditious and efficient use of the air and surface assets. Since the beginning of its mandate, IRINI has benefited greatly from cooperation with many EU Agencies, such as EU SATCEN, Frontex and the European Maritime Safety Agency, sharing maritime information about the Central Mediterranean.

      The demanding battle rhythm of the Operational Headquarter commences with a daily update to the Operation Commander, led and coordinated by myself, DACOS CJ3, and CJ3 members. The ongoing pandemic has necessitated that all briefings occur by secure video teleconferencing. This briefing includes all Branches and is vital for the maintenance of Maritime Situational Awareness at the operational level. The brief entails a daily review of all current and future operations and facilitates a whole of OHQ approach to the planning, implementation and review processes for operations, facilitating a review of actions and their potential effects at the operational and strategic level.





      The Operations Branch (CJ3) acts as the node through which information and official operational taskings and requests pass between the mission, external agencies and most vitally, to the Force Headquarters at sea. Combined with such daily operational briefings, the Operations Branch are central to the composition of a range of reports to the military and political decision-makers in headquarters, ranging from daily operational summaries, weekly assessment reports to the strategic level documents such as the Six-Monthly Reports and Military Strategic Campaign Assessments. Such reports are vital to provide EU policy-makers at the strategic and political level with a detailed insight and assessment of the effectiveness of the Mission.

      I am very proud to be a part of Ireland’s contribution to Operation IRINI and work for international security and peace in the Central Mediterranean. I feel that this mission is doing its utmost to provide for a better future for the people of Libya.'

      Commander Cathal Power
      Deputy Chief of Staff Operations of EUNAV FOR MED IRINI


      EUNAVFOR MED IRINI in a nutshell

      One of the outcomes of the Berlin Conference was the necessity to effectively implement the UN arms embargo on Libya. In order to deliver this outcome, the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union decided to launch a new CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) Operation in the Mediterranean focused on the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on the arms embargo on Libya, while closing Operation SOPHIA. The Operation, named EUNAVFOR MED IRINI (Greek for "peace") was thus launched on 31 March 2020 and extended to 31 March 2023. Its core task is the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya through the use of aerial, satellite and maritime assets. In particular, the mission is mandated to carry out inspections of vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya suspected to be carrying arms or related material to and from Libya in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2292 (2016) in addition to monitoring violations perpetrated via aerial and land routes. As secondary tasks, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI also:
      • monitors and gathers information on illicit exports from Libya of petroleum, crude oil and refined petroleum products;
      • contributes to the capacity building and training of the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy;
      • contributes to the disruption of the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks through information gathering and patrolling by planes.



      Cdr (OF-4) Cathal Power is Deputy of the Operations Branch in EUNAV FOR MED Operation Irini since November 2021.
      For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

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      • Previous D RES in the pic

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        • Irish Times are reporting this morning that a NS vessel is going to be deployed to Op Irini, enforcing the arms embargo on Libya

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          • Conor is rarely wrong in these matters.
            For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

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            • Interesting to see how they manage this given the reports of the issues sustaining even one hull on patrol, but if it’s a one off will it have any impact on retention? Will it remain a one off or might it be extended?

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              • Patrolling the Atlantic in winter, or the med in summer. Which would you volunteer for?
                The exodus from the NS begun as soon as the Op Sophia patrols ended. his could be enough to keep those who are considering not renewing their contracts.
                For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

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                • Originally posted by Sparky42 View Post
                  Interesting to see how they manage this given the reports of the issues sustaining even one hull on patrol, but if it’s a one off will it have any impact on retention? Will it remain a one off or might it be extended?
                  And will they get both overseas allowances
                  Last edited by DeV; 17 March 2023, 12:42.

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                  • Originally posted by na grohmiti View Post
                    Patrolling the Atlantic in winter, or the med in summer. Which would you volunteer for?
                    The exodus from the NS begun as soon as the Op Sophia patrols ended. his could be enough to keep those who are considering not renewing their contracts.
                    Began long before that… and then got worse

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                    • Originally posted by na grohmiti View Post
                      Patrolling the Atlantic in winter, or the med in summer. Which would you volunteer for?
                      The exodus from the NS begun as soon as the Op Sophia patrols ended. his could be enough to keep those who are considering not renewing their contracts.
                      Only if it’s more than a one off surely? I mean if it’s like the reported limits for the Ukrainian training will it actually change minds?

                      Though it is interesting to see less resistance to the idea from the DOD compared to the last Med mission (from memory wasn’t there resistance to the deployment, given how long ago it was I could be getting that wrong?)

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                      • Last med mission became a political football. We were rescuing the boatloads, but the Italians stopped taking those rescued, and nobody else wanted to, so the mission focused on preventing travel instead, cracking down on the people trafficker. Meanwhile the Greek courts started prosecuting NGOs who were doing the same thing as what the NS was doing.
                        They chose not to participate at the same scale with the new mission, while retaining a small presence at its HQ in Italy.
                        Op Irini operates all year round.
                        For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

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                        • Originally posted by Sparky42 View Post

                          Though it is interesting to see less resistance to the idea from the DOD compared to the last Med mission (from memory wasn’t there resistance to the deployment, given how long ago it was I could be getting that wrong?)
                          Very much not wrong

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                          • Originally posted by DeV View Post
                            Irish Times are reporting this morning that a NS vessel is going to be deployed to Op Irini, enforcing the arms embargo on Libya
                            40 years ago their fathers were trying to stop arms getting out of Libya. Funny how things change!
                            'He died who loved to live,' they'll say,
                            'Unselfishly so we might have today!'
                            Like hell! He fought because he had to fight;
                            He died that's all. It was his unlucky night.
                            http://www.salamanderoasis.org/poems...nnis/luck.html

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                            • Originally posted by Flamingo View Post

                              40 years ago their fathers were trying to stop arms getting out of Libya. Funny how things change!
                              How true.
                              For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

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                              • https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/...Ly4klpve5xE6n8 JmT13aLzNS4UTo1tkYQ

                                The ship will be positioned in the area of operations for 34 days and the remaining days will be spent travelling to and from the mission area, Mr Martin said. If approved at a vote in the Dáil on Wednesday evening, it will be the first operational overseas deployment of an Irish Naval ship since 2018, and only the third such mission in Naval Service history.

                                Mr Martin said the Naval Service has confirmed it will maintain a patrol plan that will have two ships on domestic patrols for 61 per cent of the deployment period and one ship for the remaining 39 per cent of the time.

                                “While the department recognises the operational challenges of having only one or two vessels available for domestic duties during this period, the potential benefits of participation in this mission to the recruitment and retention crisis in the Naval Service are accepted,” Mr Martin said.

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