New corvette escort mission

12 June 2008 kl: 09.37
Last updated: 8 July 2013 kl: 14.57
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The Swedish Armed Forces has been asked to present a report on what would be needed to have an international corvette escort for operation Alcyon – a nationally lead combat vessel operation along the east coast of Africa to protect merchant shipping carrying emergency supplies between Kenya and Somalia against pirate attack.

Last year the Swedish Armed Forces sent the corvette HMS Sundsvall to join the UN force patrolling Lebanese territorial waters. Photo: ML02

What would be required for a Unifil mission will also be presented. Last year, the Swedish Armed Forces sent the corvettes Gävle and Sundsvall to join the UN force patrolling Lebanese territorial waters to prevent arms smuggling and other illegal activities.

The mission is expected to last three months and the aim is to start no later than around the end of September 2008.

The international corvette force is one of the Swedish Navy's rapid response units and consists of two corvettes and a support vessel.  The personnel strength is around 200 contract officers, sailors and soldiers. In 2008, the mission will fall to the Third Naval Warfare Flotilla.

In the event of participation in operation Alcyon the unit may be reinforced with special unit or other forces.