The Montecuccoli returns to Italy after completing the operational screening campaign, an extraordinary feat around the globe, duration 190 days. The third PPA of the Navy crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean, the Equator, the Strait of Malacca, the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal, touching 16 ports in 14 nations, with a complex and diversified mission. The ship represented Italy in the vast spectrum of activities of Naval Diplomacy, in carrying out complex international exercises and in promoting technological excellence Made in Italy:.
Having left La Spezia on 29th April and after stops in Rota, Funchal, Miami and Santo Domingo, the Montecuccoli marked a historic moment in the transit of the Panama Canal, choke point strategic point that had not seen the transit of a Navy ship for over twenty years. Having reached the waters of the Pacific Ocean, after stops in Manzanillo and San Diego, the Montecuccoli moved to Pearl Harbor to take part, the first Italian ship ever, in RIMPAC and the Pacific Dragon, biennial US-led exercises that have consolidated the Navy's ability to operate in a multinational and multifaceted context and to improve interoperability and operational capabilities in the field of Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD).
Since mid-August the campaign has entered the integration phase with theitalian carrier strike group composed of the aircraft carrier Cavour and by the FREMM Alpino sailing in the Western Pacific Ocean. It was a new phase with new complex objectives that saw the transit in the East and South China Sea, the participation in the Pacific Security Maritime Exchange under the aegis of the United Nations and visits to the ports of Okinawa, Pusan, Jakarta, Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur) and Colombo. In these waters, the scene of maneuvers and diplomatic meetings of crucial value, Italy has confirmed that it can play a leading role: each stopover has represented an opportunity for growth to structure and consolidate political-military relations and with the countries of the Indo-Pacific, a region of ever-increasing strategic importance in the current geopolitical context. Having crossed the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea and finally the Suez Canal, the Montecuccoli touched the city of Alexandria in Egypt, the last stop of the "Operational Projection Campaign" before returning to Italy.
After 190 days of mission, the Montecuccoli returns to his homeland bringing with him the memories and experiences of an extraordinary feat. It was a journey that crossed distant oceans and seas, which saw the crew face challenges and forge new bonds, becoming the face of Italy in remote and strategic places. Unknown ports became symbols of friendship and cooperation and each stopover was a piece of a story that spoke of professionalism, Naval Diplomacy, "Sistema Italia" and national pride. For over six months, the Montecuccoli he was not only an ambassador of Italian technological excellence, but also a custodian of profound values, those that have always defined our country and our Navy: dedication, competence, team spirit.
