In recent weeks the marine brigade Saint Mark had the opportunity to participate in the “Furnas 2024” exercise, an important initiative which saw the presence of numerous observers and staff officer from amphibious forces of 13 nations at the Furnas training area of the Naval Fuzileiros in São José da Barra, located in the region of Minas Gerais (Brazil).
The Italian delegation, composed of an officer and a non-commissioned officer of the 1st “San Marco” regiment, had the opportunity to observe and interact not only with the fuzileiros navais of the Marinha Do Brasil, but also with personnel from the Armed Forces of other Nations, contributing to a significant exchange of experiences and skills at an international level.
The FURNAS exercise is conducted every six months and tests Brazilian amphibious capabilities in planning and conducting both riverine and peacekeeping operations. The broad international participation represented an important moment of cooperation, allowing participants to share knowledge and operational practices in the amphibious field.
During the exercise, the commander of the Brazilian Marine Corps, Admiral Carlos Chagas Vianna Braga, also expressed to the personnel of the marine brigade Saint Mark the hope of implementing the participation of units of the Italian amphibious force in future exercises in Brazil.
The presence of the Italian delegation not only contributed to improving bilateral relations, but also offered the opportunity to exchange TTPs (Technical and Tactical Procedures), particularly in the field of amphibious communications, river navigation and riverine operations, which took place mainly on Lake Furnas and on the “Rio Grande” river, a particularly challenging operational environment for the development of such capabilities.
The participation of the Navy, through the Marine Brigade Saint Mark, the “Furnas 2024” exercise marks an important step in cooperation with Brazil.
