Spain on the Red Sea: neither meaning nor desire

That they already are 25 attacks on merchant ships in the Bab el Mandeb Straitand major shipping companies decide divert container trafficThe fact that it has become 30% more expensive does not change Spain’s position. The defense continues to think: EUNAVFOR mission to adapt to common purposes Operation Welfare GuardianLed by the United States of America.

And there is currently no sign of this changing in Europe. at least not before the European elections in JuneAccording to military sources consulted by EL PERIÓDICO of the Prensa Ibérica group. between NATO Even less is expected, as the alliance stated through various spokesmen in December that it had no plans to take on a military role in the region.

An official discussion has not been initiated in the European Union on joint participation in ensuring the security of ships against Houthi missiles in the Red Sea. on December 19 Italy sent a warship of its own: Virginio FasanFrom the FREMM class (European Multi-Mission Frigate) but lastly not to join the American coalition, but to support the European mission according to the change of course carried out by the Italian Government last weekend.

‘No’ from Spain

common name of EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta. Its field of duty has been since 2009, protecting fishing and cargo ships from Somali piratesand now especially ships World Food Program. The government is in favor of preserving this authority and not distorting it according to the needs of naval defense in the Red Sea. For these, as the Defense and Government spokesman already explained last December, create a mission with specific content and Spain’s accession must pass through three possible gates: UN mandate, EU agreement or NATO agreement.

Spain continues its leadership with Atalanta Major contributor among 19 countries –one frigate during the monsoon periods and two during the rest of the year and the Orion air surveillance detachment– and Rotate the base.

He currently commands the Portuguese mission. Spanish Navy deployed to the region F-82 Victoria frigate patrolling the Gulf of AdenBetween the waters of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. La Victoria is a surveillance and warship of the Santa María class. Celebrating almost 40 years of operational life. His talents are good for Atalanta; are also suitable for anti-submarine warfare, but they are not ideal for defending against submarines or self-defense. Drone and missile attack similar to the one launched by the Houthis From their feudal lordships in Yemen.

The Spanish frigate Victoria along with a cargo ship are in the waters of the Horn of Africa on January 5. EUNAVFOR

For a mission of this complexity, the Navy F-100 frigates, (Álvaro de Bazán class), the most modern of the fleet. between Spain has five (Juan de Borbón, Blas de Lezo, Álvaro de Bazán, Cristóbal Colón and Méndez Núñez), one usually in the repair shop; the other four are overloaded with work related to NATO missions and the security of territorial waters.

Secret information

It is not so easy, then, to contribute units to the United States-led mission. “This does not mean that Spain did not participate at all“The Victoria Frigate provides information to US ships from information obtained during patrols off the Horn of Africa,” explains a senior Navy source.

In fact, at the beginning of December, before the debate began about whether to include Spain in the Guardian of Prosperity coalition, the US Navy asked the Navy: will increase the classification level of shared information. That operating area was already heating up.

Spain’s reluctance and delay in joining the EU has political and diplomatic reasons, but it also has very material reasons.

The complexity in the Middle East was presented to Europe complete lack of anti-missile missiles At a time when their arsenals and the entire defense industry are under stress due to the war in Ukraine huge increase in demand This has been the Allied response for two years to the Russian invasion of this country.

Very expensive missiles

There is also a problem with the definition of the North American mission. It is currently limited to escorting cargo ships heading to the Suez Canal or Israeli ports. Shoot at Houthi missiles and drones from warships.

Yemeni rebels attack commercial ships in two ways. It is the most common and least harmful use. Chinese drones set up in Syria, Iran or militia-controlled areas in Yemen.

However, the Houthis also Batteries for the launch of the Noor rocket. Is it the same? Iranian-made cruise missile based on Chinese model Hezbollah has with anti-ship employment and at a distance of 200 kilometers (120 mi). It was not disclosed how many of these missiles the Houthis had, but they were seen using them and also advertised that they had maintenance engineers trained in Russia and North Korea.

There are also Houthis ASEF anti-ship missiles and modified versions of the Tankeel missile, Both are Iranian production. In all three cases, these are weapons capable of sinking a large ship.

Officers of the anti-missile destroyer Arleigh Burke navigate the Red Sea. US Navy

On a purely theoretical level, an effective defense against these attacks would be rapid and short-lived: The fleet locates the point of Houthi fire and destroys these batteries with cruise missiles or air strikes. However, this is not considered in the Guardian of Prosperity. Neither the USA nor Iran is of interest to anyone Prolongation of Israel-Hamas conflictA land attack on Yemen would be exactly that.

Therefore, without a closed definition, the alliance is limited to neutralizing ship bombings. The West has its own defense equipment against these Houthi missiles. The Aegis system, commercially referred to as a “fleet shield” for the protection of naval units, includes vertical anti-missile missile launchers. When it comes to the Navy’s most modern frigates, these aree ESSM missiles, a modernized Sparrow. Each one costs $800,000.

Defense against drones from a ship in the Red Sea can be accomplished with the Vulcan Phalanx rotary cannon, which fires 4,500 rounds per minute. Missile defense is another thing. An expert Navy officer who advises the political power summarizes the situation as follows: “It’s much cheaper: You simply anchor the drone; against the missile… the bill is increasing rapidly“.