Rear Admiral of OPERATION ASPIDES in the Red Sea calls for additional resources to support the mission’s goals

The European Union’s Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) OPERATION ASPIDEST is an “EU defensive maritime security operation under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP”)^[1]. Since late 2023, Houthi attacks on commercial ships have increased security threats in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf. This drop in safety has disrupted one of the world’s main trade routes, harming both the EU and the wider global community. Hence, Operation ASPIDES was adopted to protect ships and safeguard the freedom of navigation in the area. Since its establishment, even with few resources, the mission has successfully escorted or protected more than 1,300 ships, meeting 99% of requests from shipping companies. The mission has also shot down 20 drones, destroyed two unmanned boats, and stopped missile attacks, always using force only when needed, and as a last resort.

On 17 November, Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, head of the EU’s naval mission EUNAVFOR Aspides, spoke during a meeting^[2] of the European Parliament’s Security and Defence (SEDE) Committee, to provide an update on the mission. His main point underlined that the mission currently lacks sufficient resources to carry out its tasks.  He explained that EU member states should provide more ships and aircraft to the mission in order to help protect trade routes in the Red Sea. He noted that in the last month the mission is working with “only two ships” instead of the 10 ships and 16 aircraft that had been requested when the operation began in February 2022. Italy, France, and Greece provide most of the ships, while Germany provides air support.

He highlighted that the ASPIDES mission now also collects information on weapons smuggling and on Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’. But the Admiral said this work is difficult since the mission cannot enter national waters or search ships, which makes the search for hidden weapons very challenging. He added that about 181 of the 557 EU-sanctioned ships are active in the area of operation of the ASPIDES mission. Since July, they have tracked 84 Russian-linked ships making 302 trips, mostly carrying oil from Russia to Asia.

During the meeting, the Rear Admiral said the mission is doing well overall but needs more support to face new challenges. The mission’s current mandate ends on 28 February 2026.

On 19 November, EUNAVFOR ASPIDES reached 21 months since its launch, this was communicated by the European External Action Service (EEAS) with an informative video^[3] on the mission’s success.

[1] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eunavfor-operation-aspides_en

[2] See point 7 in the agenda “7. Debrief on the SEDE delegation visit to EUNAVFOR Operation ASPIDES and Djibouti, 27-29 October 2025, with Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, Operational Commander of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES” https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/SEDE-OJ-2025-11-17-1_EN.html

[3] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eunavfor-aspides/eunavfor-aspides-21-months-update_en