The Croatian Navy is preparing to deploy one of its vessels to NATO’s Mediterranean Sea operation Sea Guardian this year.

While Croatian Navy vessels took part in NATO drills in the past, including Trident Juncture in 2015, the announced deployment would be the first time for a Croatian Navy vessel to become part of a NATO task force.

The decision to deploy a warship to operation Sea Guardian was announced by the government on June 27. The defense ministry did not specify which ship could be deployed, adding only that 50 armed forces personnel would be embarked on a Croatian Navy vessel.

The ministry did specify that the ship would be deployed for some 30 days, patrolling areas adjacent to the Adriatic Sea and contributing to the creation of a broader picture of maritime activities in the central Mediterranean.

Operation Sea Guardian is a NATO Non-Article 5 operation implemented in response to the evolving maritime security environment in the Mediterranean. Maritime situational awareness information is reported to its reach back headquarters, the Allied Maritime Command in Northwood and after compiled and processed, is shared among the allied and partners’ navies and the European Union operation Sophia.