EXERCISE CANALE 2005

Exercise 'Canale' is now an established annual Italian-Maltese military exercise involving naval and air assets from various countries. The exercise is being organised for the twelfth year and will take place in the waters and airspace in the vicinity of Augusta Bay, Sicily between the 10th and 18th June 2005. Each year Italy and Malta alternate in planning and co-ordinating the exercise.

The Exercise is aimed primarily at enhancing co-operation and friendship among the Armed Forces of Italy and Malta, as well as other countries involved in the Euro-Mediterranean process and the 5+5 Initiative. The main objectives will be to improve co-operation and operational capabilities of the aero-maritime forces in peace-support operations including:

-Maritime Search and Rescue in support of persons and vessels in distress at sea;
-Control and Inspection of Merchant Ships suspected of illegal activities;
-Monitoring and prevention of illegal immigration;
-Non-combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO).

This year's edition of the exercise will see Italy taking the lead role in planning and co-ordinating the exercise. As in the past, Algeria, France, Greece, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Tunisia have been invited to participate in the exercise while Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Palestinian Authority and Syria have been invited to send observers to monitor the exercise. France, Greece, Morocco and Spain accepted the invitation and will participate in the exercise by means of naval and/ or air assets as indicated below. Portugal and Tunisia will send observers who will be able to have a glance at the full spectrum of activities scheduled to take place.

The following vessels and aircraft from these countries will participate in the exercise:
-Italy :
Navy: The Ammiragli DDG Class ITS Mimbelli, the Comandanti Class Offshore Patrol vessel ITS Comandante Cigala Fulgosi, with its ship-borne AB212 helicopter, one tug Class POLIFERO, two SH-3D helicopters, one Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Diving Team and one Boarding Team from the Regiment San Marco;
Airforce: Two Search and Rescue helicopters, an HH-3F based out of Trapani, Sicily, and an AB212 from Italian Military Mission in Malta (MIATM);
Coast Guard: one Diciotti Class Long-Range Patrol Boat, one Fast
Class Patrol Boat CP Class 200 and one fixed-wing Reconnaissance Aircraft Piaggio P-166 DL-3 SEM;
Carabinieri: one CC800 Class Fast Patrol Boat;

-Malta :
- two Patrol Vessels (Protector Class and Bremse Class);
- one Melita Class SAR Launches;
- one fixed-wing Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft (BN2B Islander) and one SAR Helicopter (ALIII Alouette);
- one EOD Diving Team;
- one Boarding Team.

-France:
- one Patrol Vessel (Grebe Class)

-Greece:
- one Patrol Vessel (Machitis Class)

-Morocco:
- one Patrol Vessel (Rais Charkaoui)

-Spain:
- one Corvette (Escudiera Class) and one aircraft. (CASA 212).

Italian and Maltese Political and Military personalities will attend a VIP event on board ITS Mimbelli on Thursday 16th June 2005.This will give the dignitaries the opportunity to observe the training and interoperability standards achieved by the crews involved in Exercise 'Canale'.