High North Expanded Maneuver: Carabiniere ship in support of carrier strike group 8

(To Marina Militare)
20/01/25

In the current geopolitical and maritime landscape, characterized by complex dynamics, constantly evolving, influenced by global challenges and growing regional tensions, cooperation between allied naval forces plays a crucial role in ensuring stability and security. A significant example of such collaboration is represented by the activities that the Italian Navy carries out alongside the US Navy, in support of the operational deployments of US carrier strike groups. The latest in chronological order is the one recently carried out, in the period from October to December, by Nave Carabiniere in the North and Norwegian Seas, in the eastern Mediterranean, passing through the Atlantic Ocean.  

The Navy frigate played a key role as an escort unit to the USS Harry S. Truman, integrated into carrier strike group 8 (CSG8), composed, in addition to the aforementioned aircraft carrier, of the cruiser Gettysburg and by destroyers Stout e Jason Dunham

In this context, a particularly relevant aspect was the high level of interoperability achieved between the Italian and US units, made possible by the continuous exchange of operational and tactical information which allowed them to always be ready to provide a timely and effective response to potential threats encountered in the different areas of operation. 

The phase of the deployment that saw CSG8 operating in the North Sea was called Operation High North Expanded Maneuver (HNEM), during which the units faced a peculiar operational and geographical context characterised, among other things, by particularly challenging marine conditions which favoured the consolidation of the crews' seafaring skills. 

The integration into the naval group also has considerable importance in terms of international cooperation, underlining the importance of the contribution of allied Navies to guarantee international security and collective defense, as well as emphasizing the mutual relationship of esteem between the Navies themselves. In fact, in addition to operating in synergy to face potential risks in complex scenarios, the activities carried out have contributed to consolidating dialogue, creating a common environment in which to share tactics, procedures and operational strategies. 

In addition to the activities carried out during the navigations, the ship's stops Carabiniere in the ports of Rota, Oslo and Marseille they also allowed the consolidation of bilateral relations with the host nations, representing important opportunities for meetings between local military and civilian authorities, through an intense protocol activity which was expressed in several official visits, with the involvement of the local Italian diplomatic authorities. 

The cooperation between Italy, the United States and the other allied navies, combined with the resulting exchange of experiences, allows for a deepening of mutual understanding and consolidation of trust between the parties. This strengthens both the joint response capacity and collective security, an element of fundamental importance in today's complex scenarios of growing geopolitical instability.