The end comes to an end 2017, an intense year that saw the personnel and means of the Navy operate seamlessly from the Arctic Sea to the Antarctic, in the Mediterranean Sea as in the oceans, to protect national interests and to better represent the Made in Italy in the world.
The 2017 has seen the European Multi-Mission Carabiniere Frigate sailing to Southeast Asia and Australia, in order to ensure maritime presence and surveillance, strengthen the cooperation activities already under way with the trans-regional allies and start new relations with potential partner.
From one hemisphere to another, after almost 90 years, the Navy returned to the Arctic with the "High North 17 Campaign" coordinated by the Hydrographic Institute on board Alliance Ship, for a scientific research mission at sea, setting itself as a reference and driving element for the study of phenomena in the polar areas, in synergy with the best national scientific resources.
Research activity has also been carried out by the Antarctic Technical Unit of ENEA (UTA) which has entrusted to the Divers from COMSUBIN the coordination of the underwater operations carried out by the Italian expedition, including the management of the hyperbaric chamber present in the Italian base "Mario Zucchelli". These are the same divers that, during the year, have given hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments, in collaboration with local ASL, to patients often in danger of life, and who have reclaimed about 22000 explosive remnants of war residuals found in the waters of the seas , of the Italian rivers and lakes. Remains of war bombs have also been dealt with Minor countermeasure unit. In particular during the training activities conducted in the Gulf of Cagliari numerous mines and artillery shells dating back to World War II were found and neutralized.
Le Navy school ships they carried out the summer education campaigns for trainees. In particular, Nave Vespucci she returned after 17 years in North America during the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Canadian confederation, which saw the presence on board, as well as tens of thousands of visitors, of the Head of State, Sergio Mattarella.
One year, the 2017, which saw the Navy continue to ensure the most traditional institutional tasks with a continuous operational commitment both at national level and within the international reference organizations. Indeed, the 2015 is active in the central Mediterranean Operation Safe Sea, with an aeronaval device that ensures the presence, maritime surveillance and safety activities to protect national interests. On several occasions during the year the Navy units promptly intervened also to protect Italian fishing vessels, proving to be an effective tool for the protection of national productive activities, in full cooperation with the authorities of the riparian countries.
As part of the European Union's military missions, the Navy consistently participated in a naval unit with the Italian-led operation Eunavfor Med Sofia in the Mediterranean, while for 6 months the European Multi Mission Frigate (FREMM) Virginio Fasan assumed the role of Flag Ship of the operation "EUNAVFOR Atalanta“, Which operates between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean to ensure the presence, surveillance and police on the high seas to combat the phenomenon of piracy - which cannot be said to be eradicated, as recent events in the area demonstrate.
During the 2017 both Nave Aviere and Nave Doria are made available to NATO for the needs of the Maritime Operation called "Sea Guardian", which aims to increase the coordination between Alliance activities and those of the European Union, in order to improve collective defense and security by ensuring greater synergies and exploiting the peculiarities of each organization.
One year, what is coming to an end, voted, as always, by the Navy to support the community and solidarity.
The naval aviation participated, as usual, in the forest fire campaign, while i riflemen of the Marina San Marco Brigade they took part in the land control and safety measures of the buildings in the areas of central Italy affected by the earthquake and by bad weather. Also the students of the first class of the Naval Academy of Livorno they took to the field alongside the various institutions, helping to alleviate the distress of the population during the tragic flood that hit the city of Lombardy in September.
In addition to the various activities at COMSUBIN in favor of special divers (children or disabled), as is now the case for 10 years, Nave ITALIA has conducted its 2017 solidarity campaign "in full sail" with the Fondazione Tender To Nave Italia Onlus that has given to people with social discomfort or carriers of psychophysical disabilities a stimulating life experience on board a sailing ship, framed in specific therapeutic paths.
The classic MM Band concert at the Parco della Musica Auditorium was dedicated to the Telethon Foundation,which has raised funds thanks to the customary distribution of chocolate hearts to encourage research into childhood genetic diseases.
The enduring collaboration with the Rava Foundation, he then allowed to raise funds for the construction of a school for the unfortunate children of the areas affected by the earthquake in Norcia.
Furthermore, they continued, with Operation Smile, the weekend clinics aboard the Navy units, which have allowed many children, born with serious malformations, to finally be able to smile.
A year that saw the Navy also assiduously engaged in the field of naval diplomacy and international cooperation. In addition to the aforementioned training campaigns, in 2017 the 11th was held at the Arsenale of Venice Regional Seapower Symposium, an international maritime forum attended by representatives of the Marine Navies of around 50 Countries and 11 international organizations. The Symposium was an excellent opportunity for confrontation, direct exchange of ideas, search for agreements in maritime and naval matters and was an ideal tool for deepening mutual knowledge among all the actors, both institutional and non-institutional, who share with the Navy. , common challenges and interests.
The 2018 opens with approx 1800 men and women of the Navy engaged in the sea in different missions, operations, activities and with the historical calendar of the Navy "Remember the Past - Building the Future": A tribute to the epic undertaking of Premuda of 10 on June 1918 by Luigi Rizzo and, with it, to the centenary of the end of the Great War. Through a parallel between the photos of the Navy of yesterday and today, the unchanged sense of duty, professionalism and specialized skills that the staff of the Armed Force expresses every day in the service of the country is witnessed.
Those remembered represent only a small portion of the activities conducted by the Navy in the 2017 thanks to its staff, men and women, who, even during these days of celebration, operate above and below the sea, on earth and in the sky, in Italy and abroad, with professionalism, to safeguard national security, to support the community, with a spirit of sacrifice, self-denial, effectiveness and without clamor, today as a hundred years ago, because "We Are The Navy".