Ongoing operations
The maritime action ship P-44 'Tornado' returns from deployment in the Gulf of Guinea and the west coast of Africa.
December 15, 2023- The ship ends its deployment in which it has carried out Maritime Surveillance and Security tasks.
The Maritime Action Vessel 'Tornado' returns from its deployment on the west coast of Africa and the Gulf of Guinea after 102 days away from its base, docking at the Arsenal of Las Palmas.
During these almost three and a half months and with a crew of more than 70 people, the ship has travelled more than 12500 nautical miles and investigated around 1700 contacts, carrying out tasks of Maritime Surveillance and Security, Cooperative Security, Defence Diplomacy and support for the European Union's 'Coordinated Maritime Presences' initiative. The BAM has also contributed to improving maritime security in a region that is strategically very important for Spain.
In this deployment, it has visited nine ports in the Gulf of Guinea and the west coast of Africa (Praia, Cotonou, Abidjan, Lome, Thema, Lagos, Luanda, Dakar and Nouadhibou), providing support, as part of Cooperative Security activities, to the navies of these countries to improve their training in various areas, which has enabled the training of more than 270 military personnel and the implementation of eleven combined patrols together with other navies in the area, gaining the trust and respect of the Navy and Spain.
At the level of European Union activities, it has contributed to the 'Coordinated Maritime Presences' initiative through its participation in exercises and patrols aimed at enhancing regional development and the Yaoundé Maritime Security Architecture, greatly enhancing the combined action of all units present in the area and their coordination with the region's Maritime Operations Centres.
Deployment to the West African coast and the Gulf of Guinea
During the CMP-GoG (Coordinated Maritime Presence - Gulf of Guinea) deployment, maritime surveillance and environmental awareness activities are carried out on a permanent basis, thus contributing to increasing maritime security in the region. Multiple military cooperation activities are also carried out with the coastal countries, promoting mutual knowledge and trust and helping to increase their capabilities in the area of maritime security.
The BAM 'Tornado' has supported Spanish diplomatic delegations in the region, with the aim of contributing to state action abroad and reinforcing national interests in the region.
EU Coordinated Maritime Presences
The deployment of the BAM 'Tornado' makes a decisive contribution to strengthening the European Union's Coordinated Maritime Presences initiative as an effective instrument to improve maritime security in the area, and to advance cooperation between the EU and West and Central African states. The aim of this mechanism in the region is to ensure a permanent maritime presence and availability, to promote international maritime cooperation and to provide greater European operational capacity.
It should be noted that Spain, as a partner fully committed to European security and defence, is one of the main contributors to this EU initiative.
P-44 ‘Tornado’
The P-44 "Tornado", the fourth ship of the "Meteoro" class, was built by Navantia in San Fernando and delivered to the Navy in 2012. It is based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and has deployed on two previous occasions to the West African coast and the Gulf of Guinea, as well as in Operation Atalanta against piracy in the Indian Ocean on several occasions.
The maritime action ships are designed to carry out maritime surveillance and security missions in maritime areas of national interest, the fight against maritime pollution, the fight against illegal immigration and collaboration with the State Security Forces and Corps in the fight against drug trafficking and terrorism.
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