From January to March the waters of the Ionian Sea were the scenario for the first joint training activities of 2016, between the operators of the Parachute Swimmers Company (NP) of the Marina San Marco Brigade and the Submarine Component.
Planned to improve the cooperation and integration between the two components, the exercises serve to develop the ability to "project" to the ground, using inflatable boats, operators who are transferred in secret form on board a submarine in the landing area.
Before going out to sea, tests were carried out on the quay, to then move on to the operational part of the exercise in the open sea, with the phases of escape from the submarine and infiltration in the area of operations.
The first such activity, in January, saw release operations take place in the coastal waters of the Cheradi Islands. After the landing, therefore, the team of the NP company began a subsequent phase of the training taking part in an amphibious exercise of the 1st San Marco Regiment, with reconnaissance and fire support tasks.
Two other submarine releases were carried out in March, the first in front of the port of Augusta, the second off Chiatona (Taranto), during which the NP team carried out, once ashore, a short-range reconnaissance.
Building operational scenarios where staff can train with maximum realism is very important in these cases, to acquire the maximum level of cooperation and operational readiness of the specialist components.
