The Espero frigate ends its engagement in the NATO - Sea Guardian operation

(To Marina Militare)
20/07/18

With the arrival in the port of Aksaz (Turkey), last Tuesday 17 July, Nave I hope ended its participation in the NATO operation Sea Guardian.

The frigate of the Navy, which left Taranto on 25 June, carried out, during the period, patrol activities in the waters of the central Mediterranean in a device that also included the Turkish unit CGT Salihreis and the Greek unit HS Psara ensuring a large spectrum of operational tasks in the field of maritime security which include the surveillance of maritime spaces of interest (Maritime Situational Awareness), the fight against maritime terrorism and illicit trafficking and the protection of freedom of navigation.

The frigate I hope, commanded by the frigate captain Alberto Fiorentino, is a missile and anti-submarine unit belonging to the Class Mistral. The ship was launched in Riva Trigoso, the 19 November 1983 was launched and 4 May 1985 entered service. The ship has a crew of about 160 men and women, including the specialized teams of the marine brigade Saint Mark and of the air component of the Italian Navy with an AB212 helicopter on board.

The operation Sea Guardian has the purpose of increasing the coordination between the activities of NATO and those of the European Union conducted with the EUNAVFORMED operation Sophia in the Mediterranean, in order to improve European defense and collective security by ensuring greater synergies and exploiting the peculiarities of each organization.