The Italian Navy ship, St. George, enter the EUNAVFOR MED IRINI Operation as flagship. From this ship, the force commander, the commander at sea, Rear Admiral Ettore Socci, guides the structures deployed in the area of operation.
In addition to St. George, Operation Irini can count on the Greek frigate Spetses and on French, Greek, Luxembourgish, Polish and German maritime patrol aircraft already active in the Area. On the flagship there is an advanced medical point (Role1).
From mid-October on force commander, together with flagship, will be provided by Greece.
Il St. George he has an EH 101 helicopter and a marine brigade team on board Saint Mark, suitable for boarding even in the event of an uncooperative attitude on the part of the merchant ship to be inspected.
Italy also provides a Remote Pilot Aircraft (APR) in direct support as well as the logistical and operational military bases of Augusta, Pantelleria and Sigonella.
A P72 maritime patrol aircraft, an airplane Air Early Warning (AEW) and an associated support submarine will also be available occasionally.
In total, twenty countries in the European Union have joined the mission with men and / or means irini, which can also count on the support of satellite images provided by the Satellite Center of the European Union (EU SatCen).
"With the entry of the flagship, the mission will soon reach full operation (technically called Full Operation Capability) - says the commander of the operation, admiral Fabio Agostini - Irini was born in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, a circumstance that did not facilitate the deployment of forces. Despite this, the mission, which actually started only two months ago, has already produced the first results in terms of gathering information and deterring both the arms embargo and the monitoring of illicit trafficking in oil and derivatives. The evidence collected has always been transmitted to the Panel of Experts for Libya of the United Nations with which the Operation has undertaken a close and fruitful collaboration ".
