Naval operations have increasingly gained relevance in the law enforcement actions against piracy. To achieve the aims, the JAPCC addressed the CP issue via a scientific and empirical approach based on an experiment executed by the Boeing Portal, a Boeing Defence UK Ltd asset specialised in advanced modelling, simulation and analysis. Specifically, as a preparedness prerequisite for the deployment and employment of NATO A&S assets for CP, this document attempts to fill the need to define the best composition of capabilities for the most efficient and effective Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) support to maritime forces.Īs a secondary objective, this document also seeks to extract best-practice concepts for the enhancement of regional Maritime Domain Awareness. The aim is to provide an insight into the A&S Power contribution to CP operations off the HoA by determining the optimum use of A&S assets in the CP mission. As such, NATO nations must be prepared to deploy and employ the most effective and efficient mixture of A&S forces. However, if the effects of piracy were to become more severe in terms of economics and safety for seafarers, the priority of the CP mission would likely rise and the Alliance may resolve to deploy A&S assets. This low weight of effort is likely to persist. Other than organic helicopters aboard warships, NATO only recently contributed air assets to its own mission, Operation Ocean Shield (OOS), but in limited numbers and with intermittent deployments. A limited number of assets have been operating under the European Union (EU) Flag (Operation ATALANTA), and the US-led Combined Maritime Force (CMF). Commanders at sea have made several strong appeals for more Air and Space (A&S) assets, namely, Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), Airborne Warning and Command System (AWACS) and UAS Systems stating that A&S assets are required to ensure rapid reaction capabilities and to enhance situational awareness. NATO has been contributing military forces, mostly warships, to the Counter-Piracy (CP) mission off the Horn of Africa (HoA) since October 2008. Air and Space Power in Counter-Piracy Operations Preface Background