17 Giu 2012
Inviato da Clara Salpietro 
Da lunedì 18 giugno e fino a venerdì 22 giugno, nelle acque e nello spazio aereo antistante la baia di Augusta (Sicilia), si svolgerà l’esercitazione aero-navale congiunta italo-maltese denominata “Canale 12”.
Lo scopo della “Canale” è quello di “promuovere la cooperazione, la sicurezza e la stabilità nel Mediterraneo”, con particolare enfasi all’area interessata dai Paesi aderenti all’Iniziativa “5 + 5”.
L’esercitazione, che viene condotta annualmente ed oramai giunta alla 18esima edizione, è stata pianificata, organizzata e coordinata dalle Forze Armate italiane e coinvolge anche unità navali e mezzi aerei di altri Paesi rivieraschi.
In particolare, anche all’edizione di quest’anno e per rafforzare il dialogo e la cooperazione tra le due sponde del Mediterraneo, sono stati invitati a partecipare Paesi membri dell’Iniziativa “5+5” e Algeria, Francia, Libia, Marocco e Tunisia hanno accettato l’invito a partecipare con unità aeree, navali e con personale con incarichi di Staff.
La Canale 12 si configura come un’esercitazione internazionale bilaterale italo-maltese, ad alta caratterizzazione interforze, orientata all’impiego strategico e operativo.
Le attività addestrative saranno focalizzate ad incrementare le capacità e la flessibilità nei più ampi interventi di cooperazione ed integrazione in operazioni di soccorso in mare, Maritime Law Enforcement e sicurezza nel Mar Mediterraneo.
Venerdì 22 giugno, a bordo di Nave “Foscari” nel porto di Augusta e alla presenza di Autorità italiane e maltesi, i rappresentanti dei media preventivamente accreditati potranno assistere ad un briefing di presentazione sul livello di interoperabilità e capacità raggiunte durante l’esercitazione e alla “Post Exercise Conference”.
Italian – Maltese aero-naval exercise “Canale 12”
Canale 2012, the bilateral Italo-Maltese aero-naval exercise, returns to the Italian waters and airspace of Augusta in Sicily, between 18th June and 22th June.
Its aim is to promote co-operation and peace in the Mediterranean region, with particular emphasis on strengthening the cooperation between the ‘5+5 Initiative’ partners. Exercise training activities will be focused on maritime Search-and-Rescue (SAR), Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) and control of commercial traffic, joint and combined operations.
This is the 18th edition of the exercise, planned and organized by the Italian Joint Operational Headquarters (IT JOHQ) and coordinated by the Italian Navy involving naval and air units deriving from Mediterranean countries forming part of the “5 + 5 Process”. Algeria, France, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia have accepted the invitation to take part with surface / air assets or personnel in order to commit staff to be integrated in all the exercise phases and operational levels.
For the first time a Combined Joint Maritime Operations Centre (CJMOC) in other words an exercise command and control system, will be established to facilitate realistic training opportunities for participating countries to cooperate in conducting the exercise.
Such training is in line with larger, already existing, regional initiatives (Mediterranean Dialogue and EUROMED), and make exercise “Canale 12” a significant practical facility for Confidence Building Measures (CBM) and a major step forward for the operational dimension of the “5 + 5 Initiative”. The exercise enables practical activity which the 10-nation group utilizes in enhancing dialogue between the Northern and Southern shores of the Mediterranean basin.
The exercise has been organized into a number of distinct phases, each designed to exercise its participants in a number of different skills. All assigned tasks will focus towards soft-security issues rather than more traditional war-fighting skills.
The exercise aims at achieving improved cooperation utilising the operational capabilities of the participating air and naval forces. This is met through training of respective participating Commands in the use of common standard procedures so as to promote co-operation between “5+5 Initiative” nations.
It also involves training of respective Naval and Air Commands/Units in the planning of Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations and the correct use of SAR-techniques when assisting personnel and vessels in distress at sea. This helps to foster and exercise forms of integration and co-operation between participating Forces in MLE operations, in order to counter illicit activities at sea as well as piracy.
Units will train in the deployment of security and inspection teams to conduct board and search operations onboard vessels. This ties in with training by Explosives and Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams in detecting Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD) and underwater EOD operations. Such MLE training scenarios simulate naval operations aimed at denying transit activities made by pirates at sea. Simulated piracy attacks will involve the naval force engaging the pirates and disrupting their attempted attacks from being carried out.
Whilst the exercise is underway, training shall promote the use of Virtual – Regional Maritime Traffic Centre (V-RMTC) tools in order to develop an Exercise-dedicated Recognized Maritime Merchant Picture (RMMP). This also helps implement and employ a common communications plan for the command and control of joint and combined operations at sea.
On Friday 22th June, the Exercise “Canale” Directing-Staff (DS) will host distinguished visitors from the Italian and Maltese authorities onboard Italian Navy vessel “Foscari”. The achievements and outcome of the exercise will be presented to the VIPs present during a post-exercise conference which will overview the week’s air and maritime training activities and interoperability achieved by the participating forces.
