On the 23rd January 2011 the first stores to be moved by EUNAVFOR utilising ATARES (Air Transport and Air to Air Refuelling Exchange of Services) hours arrived in Djibouti. This was only made possible by utilising hours allocated by Hungary and the Netherlands for Operation ATALANTA.
ATARES is an arrangement between the participating nations within the Movement Coordination Centre Europe (MCCE) to provide a multi-national framework to facilitate mutual support through the exchange of services, in the realm of air force activity, through mutually acceptable arrangements.
The task utilised spare capacity on a Strategic Airlift Interim Solution (SALIS) aircraft that was moving items for Germany to the Area of Operations for their contribution to Op ATALANTA. SALIS is a multi-national airlift consortium chartering six Antonov An-124-100 transport aircraft, which are capable of handling ‘outsize’ (unusually large) cargo.
In order to complete the task, co-operation was necessary between EUNAVFOR, the MCCE, the German Air Force and Strategic Air Lift Coordination Cell (SALCC). Moving items in this way is beneficial for all involved as it reduces costs and utilises spare capacity on an existing journey.
It is hoped that this will be the beginning of a successful and efficient way for EUNAVFOR to move stores and personnel for the benefit of Op ATALANTA using the ATARES concept and cooperation with the MCCE.
EUNAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). EUNAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. EUNAVFOR finally monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.