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Operation Ocean Look
Operation Trident Reach

Operation Ocean Look was the deployment of a contingent of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to the Seychelles to support counter-piracy operations in the Western Indian Ocean and along the Horn of Africa. This deployment was in support of existing US, NATO, and EU counter-piracy operations. The US portion of the operation was codenamed Operation Trident Reach.

In August 2009, AFRICOM and the government of the Seychelles announced that they had agreed to a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that would allow significantly increased US activities in the island nation. This included the deployment of P-3 maritime surveillance aircraft and associated personnel, various training programs for local Seychelles government/military staff, and Operation Ocean Look, the deployment of a contingent of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and associated personnel. Though the SOFA covered all aspects of the increased US military presence, only the UAV deployment was covered under the subsequent Operation Ocean Look.

Initially the deployment was totaled approximately 77 personnel, including both US military personnel and contractors. The drones were to be supplied by the US Navy. The deployed personnel would be responsible for launch and recovery of the drones, force protection, and maintenance. As authorized by the SOFA, around-the-clock military uniformed and armed security guards would be in place within the designated access controlled airfield hangar/operations facilities. No plan initially existed to arm the drones operating from the Seychelles.

The US Government intended to be completely transparent with the President of the Seychelles with regard to activities of the UAVs while they were flown from the Seychellois territory. Though primarily intended to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in support of counter-piracy operations, the UAVs could also perform missions in support of counter-terrorism, counter-drug, force protection for African union missions, and humanitarian assistance in the Horn of Africa region. The high endurance of the UAVs allowed them to perform more than one mission at once.

As of February 2010, 82 contractors and military personnel were deployed to the Seychelles in support of Operation Ocean Look. It is unclear whether the US Navy did, in the end, provide UAVs for Operation Ocean Look. In the US Navy's Naval Aviation Vision published in January 2012, it did state that demonstrator Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) aircraft had served in the 5th Fleet area of operations since 2009. It did not say specifically whether this included service in support of Operation Ocean Look. In addition, in December 2011, the USAF confirmed that an MQ-9A Reaper had crashed in the Seychelles after developing engine trouble and then overshooting the runway. It is likely that this UAV was operating in support of Operation Ocean Look. Operations were subsequently suspended while an investigation of the crash was conducted.