NEWS

The 45th Deployment Surface Force Counter Piracy Enforcement (DSPE), JS IKAZUCHI conducted an anti-piracy exercise with the EU Naval Force.

On October 6, the 45th Deployment Surface Force Counter Piracy Enforcement (DSPE), JS IKAZUCHI conducted an anti-piracy exercise with the EU Naval Force, Spanish Navy’s SPS NAVARRA in Gulf of Aden.
This exercise was based on the Administrative Arrangement concerning the Japan-EU joint anti-piracy exercises signed between the Chief of Staff, Japan Joint Staff and the Commander of EU Naval Force Operation ATALANTA in March, 2023.
The Commanding Officer of JS IKAZUCHI, Commander TANAKA Hiroaki said, “Through the exercise, we improved interoperability and strengthened cooperation with the EU Naval Force (Spanish Navy). We will contribute to ensuring the safe navigation of merchant ships navigating in our operation area through exercises with partner nations’ navies in the Gulf of Aden.”
The Self-Defense Fleet maintains readiness and contributes to peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region in cooperation with allied and like-minded navies, not only for the defense of Japan, but also for the realization of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”.