New rotation at sea tactical commandOperation Safe Mediterranean. On board the amphibious ship San Giusto, on 7 October, Rear Admiral Stefano Costantino, commander of the third naval division (CDN3), handed over the baton to Rear Admiral Gianguido Manganaro, commander of the Mine Countermeasures Forces (MARICODRAG).
From 31 July to today, the device led by Admiral Costantino has carried out the institutional tasks that characterize OMS, starting with maritime surveillance (Vi.MA.) and fishing (Vi.PE.), and continuing with the important action of control, surveillance and protection of underwater infrastructures (Operation Safe Funds), as well as with inter-ministerial competitions and collaborations with Allied Navies and partners. In addition to stops in foreign ports, planned to support naval diplomacy and maritime security activities in the Mediterranean basin, the assets of the OMS device were involved in various specific activities, including the competition with the Ministry of the Interior , to the judicial authorities, to the prefectures (as in the case of the water emergency in the Pontine islands) to the national commitment to support the Libyan population, through transport, the provision of aid on the ground in Cyrenaica following the storm Daniel.
“Example of the effectiveness and versatility of the naval team's maneuver scheme applied to all the operational components that compose it – underlined the commander in chief of the naval team, team admiral Aurelio de Carolis during the turnover ceremony -, synergistic action that embraces the entire area of priority national strategic interest and characterizes the dislocation of naval units in order to have the forces where and when they are needed".
During the ceremony, the transferring tactical commander, Rear Admiral Stefano Costantino, wanted to underline: “I do not hide the feeling of profound pride that I feel today in carrying out my last act as commander of the 8th rotation of the Safe Mediterranean operation, on board Nave San Giorgio, a ship of the third naval division, which operated as a flagship for a good part of of my period of command, in a context, the Mediterranean one, which also saw other amphibious units operating for a prolonged period."
Even the accepting tactical commander, Rear Admiral Gianguido Manganaro, who returns again to the command of OMS, wanted to highlight that "the Navy, more than ever, is in fact able to remodulate its assets to be able to redeploy itself in different action scenes or operational theaters, spokesperson and flag of national will, taking on the sacrifices that this arduous task entails".
The headquarters of the tactical command has moved from Nave St. George to Ship Libeccio and will continue, in the action of maritime surveillance, control and surveillance, and also with constant training and integrated cooperation with other international actors in the Mediterranean basin to permanently guarantee the freedom of navigation and the security of national interests.
