Special Operations in Durres: Albania, US simulate military intervention at sea

Durres Bay turned into a real scene of military maneuvers, where Albanian, regional and American forces are conducting one of the most important international exercises, “Defeder Europe 2025”.

With a complex scenario, Durres was “seized by warships, Cougar helicopters and a monitoring threat, which took part in the simulation of a sophisticated maritime intervention operation.

At the heart of the demonstration was a simulated incident, where Albanian and American naval forces intervened against an alleged ship leaving territorial waters without permission.

On board the Albanian ship “Oric”, media representatives closely followed the co-ordination of the actions of 5 participating ships -- 3 Albanian and 2 Americans -- in a scenario that took place about six miles off the coast, reports Topchannel, broadcast. Periscope.

Each movement served to test reactive capacity and international co-operation.

The Commander of the Marine Force announced that such exercises are held every two years and “Defender Europe” is headed by the US Marine Command for Europe and Africa.

The aim of the exercise is to strengthen the ability of NATO forces to operate in real conditions, using air, land and sea channels to protect strategic communication lines and critical infrastructure.

In this respect, Albania's role is key. Besides protecting sea lines and important goals like gas pipeline TAP, or underwater communication systems, is also the security of portal infrastructure. US Special Forces are also present on this joint mission.

The exercise, which is based on Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, testifies to a joint commitment to collective protection in the event of an attack on a member state.

In this context, “Defeder Europe 2025<18x1> is a drill aimed at demonstrating the alliance's readiness and force in defence of peace and security in the region.

In addition to Albania, Kosovo is also part of the exercise that lasts until 9 June. /Periscope