This activity is part of the already solid collaboration with Leonardo in the field of Electronic Warfare, which has been strengthened by a broader agreement signed in March ’23 for the C-27J and ATR-72 platforms.
Since 2020, the Navy has been engaged in Operation Gabinia, the air-naval device active in the Gulf of Guinea aimed at ensuring the security of trade routes and protecting national interests in one of the maritime areas most at risk for piracy.
The mission was created to prevent and combat piracy, protect national interests and strengthen cooperation and interoperability with foreign navies.
For over a decade, in fact, the Gulf of Guinea has been one of the epicenters of international maritime brigandage. About 4% of the world’s oil production comes from this area. Hence the great importance of this area where attempts to seize oil tankers are the order of the day.
Since 2020, Italian military ships including Antonio Marceglia, Luigi Rizzo and Commander Foscari have been conducting surveillance activities, countering piracy and cooperation with foreign navies, contributing to the strengthening of security in the region.
The operational area includes the waters overlooking the coasts of West Africa, part of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea, a crucial node for trade routes and energy supplies.
The Naval Units deployed as part of Operation Gabinia have made a tangible contribution to maritime security, also including various humanitarian initiatives in favor of local populations.
Following the agreements in place with the RAVA foundation and Africa CUAMM, the Units involved in the operation are in fact responsible for the transport and delivery of medical equipment destined for local health facilities.
In addition to patrolling, escorting and counter-piracy activities, the Units carry out, in collaboration with the coastal navies, training activities also participating in multilateral exercises to raise interoperability and safety of navigation.
In addition to the activities to combat piracy, the tasks of the mission are:
- protect national mining assets, operating in international waters;
- support national merchant ships in transit in the area;
- contribute to maritime situational awareness;
strengthen cooperation, coordination and interoperability with Nigeria and other riparian states;
guarantee a non-continuous naval presence and surveillance, with Naval Diplomacy tasks.
The continued presence of the device in the Gulf of Guinea has favored a drastic reduction in attacks coming from the threat of piracy. Operation Gabinia is therefore an instrument through which the Navy contributes to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea with the aim of protecting commercial traffic and national strategic interests.
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