Operation Sharp Guard military branch navy
Operation Sharp Guard was a multi-year joint naval blockade in the Adriatic Sea by NATO and the Western European Union on shipments to the former Yugoslavia. Warships and maritime patrol aircraft from 14 countries were involved in searching for and stopping blockade runners.
The operation began on 15 June 1993. It was suspended on 19 June 1996, and was terminated on 2 October 1996.Blockade
Fourteen nations contributed ships and patrol aircraft to the operation. At any given time, 22 ships and 8 aircraft were enforcing the blockade, with ships from Standing Naval Force Atlantic and Standing Naval Force Mediterranean establishing a rotating duty. (Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the U.K., and the U.S.), and eight maritime patrol aircraft, were involved in searching for and stopping blockade runners.
Most contributors to the operation supplied one or two ships. The Turkish Navy, for example, participated with frigates, submarines, and tankers.The operational area was divided into a series of "sea boxes", each the responsibility of a single warship.  Each boarding team was composed of a "guard team" to board and wrest control of the target ship, and a "search team", to conduct the search.The ships were authorized to board, inspect, and seize both ships seeking to break the blockade and their cargo.  The Combined Task Force 440 was commanded by Admiral Mario Angeli of Italy.  It marked the first time since its founding in 1949 that NATO was involved in combat operations.
armed forces military division armed service military unit military organization