A Portuguese Air Force detachment spent one month engaged in crucial maritime patrol missions along Europe’s borders.

Operating from Sigonella Air Base, Italy, a contingent of 33 military personnel and a P-3C CUP+ Orion aircraft from Squadron 601 – “Lobos” (Wolves) – took part in Operation IRINI, the European Union Naval Force mission known as EUNAVFOR MED IRINI 2025. The operation’s key strategic objective is to enforce the United Nations arms embargo on Libya by monitoring maritime and aerial routes to prevent the supply of weapons and military equipment to Libyan factions.

Throughout the mission, which concluded on November 5th, the Air Force detachment carried out nearly 80 flight hours dedicated to maritime surveillance, searching for contacts of interest in order to contribute to maritime security, the maintenance of freedom of navigation, and the fight against drug, arms, and human trafficking in the Mediterranean Sea.

As a gesture of recognition for the Air Force personnel’s commitment to the mission, the detachment was visited by the Air Commander, Lieutenant General Sérgio Pereira, between October 23rd and 25th.

Squadron 601 – “Lobos” – has played an indispensable role in the international operational theater, reinforcing Portugal’s commitment to global security and stability. The unit has participated regularly in Operation IRINI since its inception, a testament to the Portuguese Air Force’s proven operational capability demonstrated in every flight hour.

Mandated by the European Union since 2020, Operation IRINI aims to enforce the United Nations arms embargo on Libya, focusing on monitoring maritime and air routes to prevent the flow of weapons and military equipment to Libyan factions, while also contributing to the prevention of illicit trafficking of people and goods.