Match last 25 June from the port of Taranto, today the frigate I hope of the Navy reached the port of Souda, on the Greek island of Crete, to participate in the operation Sea Guardian of NATO.
The Navy unit, after a phase of integration and training with the other allied ships, will leave the Greek port on June 29, to begin the patrolling operations in the Eastern Mediterranean under the operational control of Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood .
Born after the NATO summit in Warsaw in July 2016, the operation Sea Guardian continues the activities performed in the previous operation Active Endeavor, established in response to the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. Sea Guardian it is a highly flexible operation that is able to guarantee a wide range of operational maritime security tasks including the surveillance of maritime spatial interest (Maritime Situational Awareness) and the fight against maritime terrorism, while ensuring training in favor of the forces security of coastal countries (Maritime Security Capacity-Building). In addition to these activities, the naval forces assigned to the operation can exercise maritime interdiction, protection of freedom of navigation, protection of sensitive maritime infrastructures and the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The frigate I hope, under the command of the captain of frigate Alberto Fiorentino, is a missile unit and anti submarine 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 San Marco navy brigade and the military component of the Navy with an embarked AB212 helicopter.
The ship will remain in the NATO naval group until the next 17 July.
