Italy is ready to field 3,400 soldiers to reinforce the defenses of the eastern flank of the Atlantic Alliance. This was announced by the Prime Minister himself, Mario Draghi, referring to the parliament on the crisis in Ukraine. “We are ready to contribute with about 1,400 men and women of the Army, Navy and Air Force, and with an additional two thousand soldiers available” explained Draghi himself, adding that the forces “will be employed in the NATO area of responsibility, and there is no implicit authorization of border crossing ”with Ukraine. These units will be added to the defense assets already deployed within various NATO missions, from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, even close to the border with the Russian Federation. In defense of the Baltic
About 240 soldiers, mainly from the Alpini corps, are currently deployed in Latvia as part of the “Baltic guardian” operation. The device is part of the four Battlegroups activated by NATO to guarantee the security of the three Baltic republics and Poland, countries directly bordering Russia, a measure of “Enhanced Advanced Presence” to increase deterrence in the region. In this context, the Italian troops also deploy the BV 206 tracked tactical vehicles, designed specifically for snow-covered and difficult to navigate terrain. Over the skies of Romania
Furthermore, since last December, Italy has assumed command of the mission of the Air Black Storm Task Force, whose direction was assumed by the 36 ° Stormo di Gioia del Colle, the NATO operation of Air policing in Romania. Our country deploys four Eurofighter fighters on the grounds of the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base, in Romania, coming from the 4th, 36th, 37th and 51st Wing of the Air Force. The mission is defined as “enhanced”, since the Italian-Romanian device will be in charge of the surveillance of NATO airspace in one of the points closest to the Ukrainian quadrant. The forces in the Mare nostrum
Furthermore, our naval forces are constantly engaged in patrolling missions of the Mediterranean waters, both through national missions and by participating in Alliance operations. At the moment, in fact, the NATO exercise “Dynamic Manta” is active in the waters in front of Sicily, the purpose of which is to enhance the anti-submarine capabilities of the allied fleets. The exercise is led by the Italian Rear Admiral Mauro Panebianco , commander of the Second Permanent Naval Group of NATO. The Navy deployed the Margottini (flagship) and Carabiniere frigates for the occasion, as well as the Savatore Todaro submarine and the Third Group helicopters from the Catania base. Where our military will go
The next commitments, therefore, could foresee a reinforcement of all the components currently engaged on land, sea and air. NATO, for example, has decided to strengthen its defense of the south-east flank, deploying an additional Battlegroup also in Romania, on the model of those currently present in the Baltic countries and in Poland. Italy has said it is ready to participate in the new unity with its military. Air defense could also be strengthened, both by upgrading the Black storm mission, and by sending additional aircraft where needed (Italy guaranteed the protection of the Icelandic skies in 2019, using the F-35s for the first time in a NATO mission, and again in 2020). To this end, a new engagement of the Lockheed Martin fighters is not excluded.
Photo: Defense
