A team of Italian Navy parachuters from the San Marco Marine Brigade teamed up with the submarine component to carry out their first 2016 batch of joint training activities in the Ionian Sea.
Training activities initially conducted alongside the quay were followed by the operational phase of open sea exercises, including submarine rescue and infiltration in the area of operations.
The first landing exercise was conducted in January, off the Cheradi Islands. Once ashore, the Parachute Swimmers team took part in an amphibious exercise of the 1st San Marco Marine Regiment, performing recognition and fire support tasks.
Other two submarine landing exercises were conducted in March, the first one in front of the harbour of Augusta, the second off Chiatona (Taranto), including short-range reconnaissance ashore.
Such drills have been designed to improve cooperation and integration between the two components, and are aimed at developing the capability to “project” troops ashore using inflatable boats, for covert insertion onboard a submarine in the landing zone.