Maritime forces from West and North Africa, Europe and the United States began the underway phase of Exercise Saharan Express 2015, April 22.
Exercise Saharan Express 2015, sponsored and facilitated by U.S. Africa Command, is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information-sharing practices, and tactical interdiction expertise to counter sea-based illicit activity in the region.
This ships getting underway in the Western Operational area near Cabo Verde are the Spanish civil guard maritime service Rio Segura, Portuguese navy Bartolomeu Dias, Cabo Verde coast guard Guardio and Senegalese navy Kedougou.
The ships getting underway in the Eastern operational area near Senegal and Mauritania are USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), Royal Moroccan navy Bir Anzarane, Senegalese navy Djiffere, Mauritanian navy Limam El Hadrami and Spanish navy Vencedora.
Aircraft from France, Portugal, Senegal and Spain are also planned to conduct maritime air patrol operations in support of the exercise operational areas.
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Image: US Navy