Galicia-class landing platform dock ESPS Castilla , equipped with a AB212plus and a RPAS ScanEagle, joined Operation Atalanta this week. Over the next 4 months, she will be the EU NAVFOR flagship, hosting the Force Headquarters of the operation. The Castilla kicks off her activities full-speed with a joint exercise with JS Ariake of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The exercise included a PASSEX with a maneuvers exercise to train the Officers of the Watch (OOW) in station keeping and quick changes of position. As part this exercise, GATO-18 executed Cross-Deck Operations on JS Ariake´s flight deck preforming two landings and take-offs.