German Navy’s Sachsen-class frigate Hessen (F221) made headlines today as it successfully intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched by Yemeni-based Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
According to reports from the German news agency DPA, the UAVs were identified as Iranian-funded one-way attack (OWA) drones, commonly known as suicide drones, and were intercepted by the frigate.
This interception marks the first active involvement of the German frigate Hessen since its deployment to the Red Sea as part of coalition forces. The German Navy’s F124 Sachsen-class frigate F221 Hessen recently entered the Red Sea after transiting the Suez Canal on February 24, 2024.
The Bundeswehr announced the ship’s arrival via the social media platform “X” (formerly Twitter) on February 25, 2024. Its deployment is in support of the EU-organized operation “Aspides,” aimed at safeguarding shipping in the region against missile threats posed by Houthi military forces based in Yemen.
Operation Aspides, led by Greece and Italy, is the latest EU counter-piracy initiative designed to protect commercial vessels navigating the south Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
