Within the scope of Turkey’s defense cooperation, maritime security and contribution to regional stability activities in Africa, the duties of the maritime patrol elements stationed in Senegal continue. According to the statement made by the Ministry of National Defense, the forces affiliated with the Naval Forces Command safely completed the reconnaissance and surveillance flight carried out in Senegal’s airspace and maritime jurisdiction on May 18.
With the last activity, the total flight performed in the region exceeded 76 sorties and 358 hours, and no unusual situation was detected other than routine activities during the flight. The aircraft change process at the Senegal Naval Air Unit Command was one of the notable developments within the scope of the activity. The maritime patrol aircraft affiliated with the Naval Command took off from the Topel Naval Air Base Command in Kocaeli on May 16 and arrived in Dakar after refueling at Rota and Gran Canaria airports in Spain.
The plane, which was met in the air at the Mauritania-Senegal airspace border by the other Turkish element on duty, then arrived in Dakar in a column flight pattern. Photo and video shootings were also carried out within the scope of the activity. The long-range deployment activity once again demonstrated the Turkish Naval Forces’ ability to carry out uninterrupted missions in distant geographies. The handover process continues.
It was stated that both maritime patrol aircraft operating in the region are active and the handover activities continue as planned. In this context, it is planned to conduct a flight covering the standard mission flight profile, airfield patterns and environment recognition activities with the joint participation of the transferring and taking over flight crews. It was stated that the Turkish maritime patrol elements serving in Senegal maintained their operational tempo and that flight safety and operational continuity were prioritized.
It was reported that there was no critical problem affecting the activities in terms of personnel and materials, and that the Senegal Naval Air Unit Command was ready for any task assigned. Air-sea surveillance activities carried out in Senegal, beyond being just a technical task, stand out as one of the reflections on the field of the defense cooperation, maritime safety and interoperability capacity that Turkey has developed with friendly and allied countries in Africa.
These activities, which once again demonstrate the Turkish Naval Forces’ ability to carry out uninterrupted missions in overseas regions, also reveal the increasing interest of African countries in cooperation with Turkey in the field of defense and security. Source: AA
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