Denmark is sending frigates ivor whitfeld It will participate in Operation Prosperity Guardian, a U.S.-led naval coalition to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden amid Houthi attacks on shipping.
The frigate set sail for the Mediterranean Sea from Korse, Denmark, on Monday, with plans to deploy to operational waters once final approval is received from the Danish Parliament. ivor whitfeld It will participate in the OPG together with the US Navy’s 2nd Carrier Strike Group, which includes aircraft carriers. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Gravely, USS Laboon and USS Mason.british navy HMS Diamond.
ivor whitfeld It will participate in the Operational Readiness Group (OPG) along with other warships, including the U.S. Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 2, which is comprised of aircraft carriers. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Gravely, USS Laboonand USS Mason.british navy HMS Diamond We also participate in OPG.
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen reiterated the importance of Denmark’s assistance in ensuring maritime security in the region, taking into account the country’s interests in shipping and past attacks on Danish-owned vessels.
“With its contribution to Operation Prosperity Guardian, Denmark demonstrated its willingness and ability to protect free navigation rights, maritime trade routes and ship crews from Yemen’s Houthi attack,” Poulsen said.
Before the frigate’s departure, Secretary of Defense Fleming Rentfer visited the crew to ensure their readiness. “This mission will likely involve the use of force. Our crew is ready for this important mission,” he said.
Denmark plans to send a frigate to Operation Prosperity Guardian in late December, after Danish shipping giant Maersk began resuming transit through the region after a brief hiatus caused by the attack on the Strait. Announced for the first time. Maersk Gibraltar a few weeks ago.However, within days of Denmark’s announcement, Maersk’s container ship Maersk Hangzhou Following a missile attack in the Red Sea, the company has suspended sailings in the region indefinitely. Last week, Maersk suspended its U.S.-flagged operations in the Red Sea following a Houthi attack targeting a Maersk Line Ltd. ship carrying U.S. government cargo.
ivor whitfeld It will join Joint Task Force 153 (CTF153), a joint Maritime Forces (CMF) task force focused on maritime security in the Red Sea. Operation Prosperity Guardian, launched by the United States in mid-December, operates under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and is commanded by CTF 153. More than 20 countries are said to be participating in the OPG coalition, but only the United States and the United Kingdom are currently contributing warships to the effort.
of ivor whitfeld is the lead ship of a three-ship class of air defense frigates that entered service with the Danish Navy in 2012 and 2013. The ship is equipped with a complete weapons package and is also equipped with a Seahawk helicopter.
The frigate will have a crew of approximately 175 people and will operate in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from early February to mid-April 2024. A statement from the Danish Armed Forces said the frigate had the right of self-defense and extended self-defense. – Defense missions allow crew members to protect themselves and nearby ships from attack. In addition to Operation Prosperity Guardian, Denmark plans to send staff to the US-led operation. attack It is a coalition against the Houthis and aims to reduce the group’s ability to attack shipping.
The frigate’s crew recently completed Fleet Operational Sea Training (FOST) in the UK, a six-week program designed to prepare the ship and crew for a variety of missions, including combat operations.
Denmark also maintains staff at the Combined Maritime Command in Bahrain, where CTF 153’s leadership is based, and supports operations and international coordination.