Air Support

After months of fending off criticism over its contribution to international anti-piracy efforts, Norway’s Defence Ministry has decided to send surveillance aircraft to Somalia, to aid NATO’s anti-piracy operation.

Norwegian shipowners have been highly critical that their own government hasn’t been helping enough to counter the ongoing threat their vessels face.

Defense Minister Grete Faremo has agreed, not to send another frigate as yet, but rather an Orion maritime surveillance aircraft to help patrol the pirate-infested waters off Somalia.

“We see that the situation has grown worse, with pirates active in much larger areas,” Faremo told reporters. Faremo called recent developments “a clear change” in the piracy situation, and one which needed to be addressed quickly.