During the exercise a wide range of operations were conducted to promote international interoperability to protect global trade to ensure the safety of maritime communications lines, through mine countermeasures, maritime security operations (MSO ) and the protection of port infrastructures (Maritime Infrastructure Protection - MIP).
More than 6.500 military personnel from more than 40 nations, along with 700 civilians, 38 operating military ships, 34 merchant ships and three task forces located throughout the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. A total of 2,5 million square kilometers of water affected by the exercise. Twenty countries overlook this area, which includes three critical choke points such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb.
The Italian navy participated, as every year, covering an important role with an officer specialized in mines and mine countermeasures, the lieutenant captain Luca Traversaro, inserted in the staff in command of the operations. A task force of 24 nations, with 18 minesweepers, 6 helicopters, 50 divers, 8 UUVs (un-manned underwater vehicles), 8 ROVs (remotely operated underwater vehicles) and 1 USV (un-manned surface vehicles).
Source: Military Navy
