Patrolling the Mediterranean: NATO Operation Sea Guardian, Master Version

AT SEA

07.08.2019

Courtesy Video

Natochannel           

What is NATO Operation Sea Guardian? And how do crews aboard ships from Croatia, Italy and the United Kingdom work together to help secure the Mediterranean?

Maritime security is high on NATO’s agenda. In 2016, NATO launched a maritime security operation in the Mediterranean Sea – called Sea Guardian – to deter and counterterrorism and other threats to Allied maritime security. Sea Guardian also provides maritime situational awareness and can carry out tasks to help build naval capacity of NATO partners. NATOChannel boarded the British ship HMS Echo, the Croatian Navy ship HRMV Vukovar and the Italian Navy frigate ITS Espero during the first days of their focused patrols in 2018. Footage includes various shots aboard ITS Espero and HRMV Vukovar, and various shots as crews from both conduct a practice operation boarding HMS Echo as though it were a potentially hostile vessel. Footage also includes various shots of Dutch Special Forces approaching a fishing vessel from a former Sea Guardian rotation.

TRANSCRIPT
VISUAL DESCRIPTION Various shots - crew members from Dutch Marine Corps approach a suspect ship TEXT – PICTURES COURTESY HELLENIC COAST GUARD Various archive shots from the Hellenic Coast Guard as they seize weapons and drugs Various shots - crew members from Dutch Marine Corps approach a fishing vessel TEXT - Cdr Alberto Fiorentino, Commanding Officer ITS Espero, Italian Navy Various shots – crews involved in Operation Sea Guardian Various shots – early morning at the Taranto naval base in Italy, crews on board prepare to embark on Sea Guardian Various shots – Italian, Croatian and British ships on deployment for Sea Guardian Croatian commander talks to crew TEXT - Lt Cdr Nikola Bašić, Croatian Contingent Various shots – assets involved in Sea Guardian Various shots - Italian and Croatian boarding team prepare and carry out boarding exercise aboard HMS Echo during Sea Guardian Various shots - Italian and Croatian boarding teams on board HMS Echo Various shots – air and maritime assets at sea during Sea Guardian Various shots – ships from Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 in the Mediterranean TEXT - Cdr Justin Hains Former Commander, NATO SNMCMG2 Talking head overlaid with various shots of crew aboard NATO ship Various shots - crew members communicating over radio aboard the Croatian ship TEXT - Capt Ettore Socci EU Operation Sophia Various shots - sea assets including ships and helicopters on deployment during Sea Guardian Close up shot - Italian boarding crew gives thumbs up on RiB boat ### AUDIO DESCRIPTION --VOICEOVER— Regional instability in North Africa and the Middle East has left the Mediterranean vulnerable to weapons and drugs smugglers, terrorism and people traffickers posing a threat to the security of NATO countries. --VOICEOVER— These Special Forces from the Dutch Marine Corps are approaching a fishing vessel in the Mediterranean to talk with the sailors and learn about the area. They form part of a NATO maritime security operation called Sea Guardian. -- SOUNDBITE IN ITALIAN (with English subtitles) -- COMMANDER ALBERTO FIORENTINO, COMMANDING OFFICER, ITS ESPERO “Sea Guardian is a NATO operation aimed at countering terrorism, guaranteeing maritime situational awareness for the Alliance and improving capacity-building with some countries in the Mediterranean basin.” --VOICEOVER-- Falling under NATO’s maritime command, Operation Sea Guardian’s aim is to keep an eye out for illegal activity, monitor maritime traffic and provide a safe and secure environment for ships in the Mediterranean. It is continuously monitoring the Mediterranean Sea, and to date 12 nations have also sent assets such as ships, aircraft and submarines for focused operations. --UPSOT— Commander of Croatian ship --SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH— LIEUTENANT COMMANDER NIKOLA BAŠIĆ, CROATIAN CONTINGENT “This is the first time for the Croatian Navy to participate in a NATO operation.” --VOICEOVER-- Before embarking on the operation, participating nations need to practise working together. Here a British ship poses as a suspect vessel, while a combined team of Croatian and Italian forces plan and execute a boarding exercise. --SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH)-- LIEUTENANT COMMANDER NIKOLA BAŠIĆ, CROATIAN CONTINGENT “We conduct several exercises, force protection exercise, manoeuvring exercise and boarding team exercise.” --VOICEOVER— Ensuring maritime security in the Mediterranean is a NATO-wide effort and all NATO units operating throughout the Mediterranean, including Standing NATO Maritime Group Two and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two, with their five minehunters, also contribute to that aim. --SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH)— COMMANDER JUSTIN HAINS FORMER COMMANDER, STANDING NATO MINE COUNTERMEASURES GROUP 2 “All the time we’re at sea, we’re taking notice of patterns of life around us, and obviously any anomalies, any ships that have dropped off the plot for a few days and miraculously come back, then they would come to our attention and we’ll put special measures in place to make sure we understand where they’ve been and where they’re going.” --VOICEOVER— Providing a full and detailed maritime picture also requires collaboration between NATO and other international partners such as the European Union, whose Operation Sophia runs in tandem with Sea Guardian. --SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH)-- CAPTAIN ETTORE SOCCI, EUROPEAN UNION OPERATION SOPHIA “We are exchanging information on our daily activity with naval, air and submarine assets and make best use of the assets at sea.” --VOICEOVER— Operation Sea Guardian is a demonstration of NATO’s commitment to protecting trade routes, countering crime and terrorism and helping monitor maritime traffic. It also forms part of a wider effort to protect the region, which in turn leads to a more secure Europe.

• Date Taken: 07.08.2019
• Date Posted: 07.08.2019 13:24
• Category: Package
• Video ID: 695345
• Filename: DOD_106991171
• Length: 00:03:01
• Location: AT SEA