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Sanso

Sanso 03 led by Spain, is a four-day, multilateral maritime interdiction training exercise in the Mediterranean, is part of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a collaborative effort to take active measures against trafficking in weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems and related materials to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern around the world. The exercise began on or about October 14, 2003 and ended on October 17, 2003.

The guided missile frigate USS Nicholas (FFG 47) and a P-3 surveillance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 10 operating out of Sigonella, Sicily, joined naval assets from six other nations to begin Sanso 03.

In addition to Spain and the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and the United Kingdom are contributing assets to SANSO 03 while other PSI countries - Australia, Japan, the Netherlands and Poland - will participate as observers for this exercise.

The name of the exercise, Sanso '03, is a play on "Sosan," the name of a Cambodian flagged ship that carried 15 North Korean Scud missiles bound for Yemen. The Sosan was boarded on Dec. 9, 2002 in the Arabian Gulf by the Spanish Navy with the assistance of the United States Navy.

Warships from four North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations completed maritime interdiction exercises Oct. 17, to train in one of the world's hotbeds of maritime activity.

For more than 12 hours, the multinational task group searched the choppy seas until a French patrol aircraft located the two Spanish Navy auxiliary ships posing as cargo vessels smuggling weapons of mass destruction, and called in four nearby warships to intercept and investigate. Guided-missile frigates from France, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States headed to the target vessels.

The French Frigate FS Jacovet (F 754) and British Frigate HMS Somerset (F 82) arrived on scene first and immediately challenged one of the suspect cargo ships. The ship's master agreed to allow a boarding party search the ship. After a thorough inspection with nothing found, the ship was released to continue its journey.

USS Nicholas (FFG 47) and the Spanish Frigate SPS Navarra (F 85) tightly flanked the other cargo ship, as a U.S. Navy SH-60 helicopter with Spanish snipers in the door flew low overhead, searching the decks for threats. The cargo ship refused to respond to orders to reduce speed and alter course. Even after several volleys of flares, warning shots and further demands to stop the engines, the suspect vessel continued to ignore the relentless demands to comply with a boarding and inspection.

The two frigates moved in closer to further strangle the ship as an UH-1 Huey helicopter with a team of Spanish Commandos moved in to commandeer the vessel. The entire vessel was under positive control within minutes and an inspection ensued.