Portugal hosts Sea Border 21 exercise

According to a news statement published by the Portuguese Navy, the international naval exercise Sea Border 21 began on October 26 and will continue until October 29.

The 5+5 Defense Initiative countries (Algeria, Spain, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, and Tunisia) participate in the exercise.

The Sea Border 21 exercise includes eight ships and two maritime patrol aircraft, as well as 400 soldiers from the 5+5 Defense Initiative countries. Portugal sent an Offshore Patrol Vessel, two Navy Rapid Surveillance Speedboats, and a Portuguese Air Force maritime patrol aircraft to participate.

The primary objective of Sea Border is to train maritime security operations techniques, tactics, and procedures for the exercise of State power at sea, as well as to strengthen collaboration between the Armed Forces of the participating countries.

Sea Border 21 also improves coordination among the ten countries’ armed forces. In particular, the Maritime Operations Centers’ information exchange should be improved, as should the operational usage of ships, aircraft, and unmanned vehicles in countering illicit maritime activity.

The 5+5 initiative works on providing maritime surveillance which aims at protecting the interests of States at sea by tackling challenges as well as threats covering a range of issues from sear and rescue to resources plundering, smuggling, illegal immigration, piracy, and terrorism.

Within the 5+5 Defence Initiative maritime surveillance area of cooperation, undergoing projects encompasses the areas of data sharing, as well as the development of common capabilities in the area of search and rescue and combat of environmental pollution.

Check out Naval Library App to find out more about the specifications of the participating units.