In addition to ensuring maritime security, Operation ASPIDES will now collect information on arms trafficking and shadow fleets in the region. This data will be shared with EU member states, the European Commission, and international organisations such as the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES was launched in February 2024 to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf. It provides a defensive naval presence in response to ongoing threats to international commercial vessels in the region.
The operation operates along key sea routes, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, and international waters in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf. Since October 2023, multiple Houthi attacks have targeted international shipping, heightening security concerns.
Operation ASPIDES is headquartered in Larissa, Greece, under the command of Commodore Vasileios Gryparis. The initiative underscores the EU’s commitment to maintaining stability and securing maritime trade routes in the region.
Source: Council of the European Union.
![NGAD in limbo: the U.S. Air Force’s struggle to define the future of air superiority [REPORT]](https://defence-industry.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/NGAD-in-limbo-the-U.S.-Air-Forces-struggle-to-define-the-future-of-air-superiority-REPORT.jpg)
