Fourth meeting of the "Maritime Defense Coalition" in Jeddah: Integrating capabilities and preparing for operational execution
The Fourth Planning Meeting of the multinational defensive naval coalition was held at the Western Fleet Command in Jeddah, Province, with the participation of 154 naval commanders, planners, ambassadors, and European Union representatives from 41 countries. This meeting was held as part of the coalition’s continued transition from the establishment phase to operational execution, following its attainment of Initial Operating Capability (IOC). The coalition is now in the capability integration phase, preparing for operational execution and physical presence in the maritime area of operations.
A statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Defense stated that “the meeting discussed recent developments and achievements during the previous phase, as well as the progress of countries joining the coalition. During this phase, several countries signed the charter and the joint statement. Currently, there are 28 liaison officers. The meeting also discussed the requirements for joint operations and identified the capability contributions from participating countries, thereby supporting coordinated and integrated multinational operational execution and enhancing the coalition’s operational readiness.”
The statement added, “The Fourth Planning Meeting represents an advanced stage in the coalition’s trajectory, as the focus shifts to enhancing operational readiness and preparing for operations under a unified command, ultimately leading to deployment and the commencement of operational tasks within the area of responsibility. This is based on the premise that protecting freedom of navigation, maritime passages, and straits is a shared international interest that requires effective partnership, diverse capabilities, and collective response.”
It continued, “The coalition is working to support the security and safety of maritime navigation in accordance with international law, within a multinational operational environment based on unified command, capability integration, information sharing, and coordinated efforts to counter threats targeting the security of navigation and maritime passages within the area of responsibility.”
