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In the austere silence of the high latitudes, where the sea meets snow-capped mountains and the sky ignites with the colours of the Northern Lights, the Italian Navy took part in exercise Cold Response 2026, one of the most important multinational NATO training activities held in Arctic and sub-Arctic conditions.

In this evocative and challenging scenario, ITS San Giusto and the Venezia Battalion of the 1st San Marco Regiment ensured a significant presence of the Italian amphibious component in the High North theatre.

Navigating through deep fjords and icy waters, the Italian Navy's amphibious unit operated as a sea-based projection platform and command centre for landing force activities, contributing to joint operations alongside the navies and armed forces of allied nations.

The exercise saw the participation of 24,000 personnel and various Alliance naval, ground, and air assets. It focused on enhancing operational readiness and collective response capacity in a key strategic theatre for Euro-Atlantic security.

For the crews and the embarked San Marco Marines, operating in the High North meant facing severe environmental conditions: harsh temperatures, short days, and a sea that demands respect and determination. Yet, it is precisely in these conditions that the unique bond between ship and crew - which has always characterized the units of the Italian Navy - is strengthened. Quite often, during the hours of night navigation, the Arctic sky offered the silent spectacle of the Northern Lights - an arc of green light created by the solar wind that seems to dance over the sea, reminding sailors of how extraordinary and remote these places are.

During the exercise, ITS San Giusto enabled CATF and CLF staffs to plan and conduct training activities focused on amphibious projection from the sea and tactical manoeuvres in polar environments. Operations included amphibious planning phases, tactical training ashore, and activities aimed at verifying the logistic and operational sustainability of forces in extreme climate conditions.

Italian participation also represented an important opportunity to consolidate interoperability with Allied forces, improving common procedures, operational integration, and command and control capabilities within the Alliance. In this context, the employment of the embarked Landing Force further strengthened the full integration between the naval component and the landing force, a hallmark of the Italian Navy's expeditionary capability.

The activities carried out during Cold Response 2026 also allowed for the validation of procedures, equipment, and logistic and medical support measures in an Arctic environment, contributing to the increased resilience and operational readiness of the personnel involved, as well as gathering valuable lessons learned to enhance the readiness of future deployments.

Amidst the cold wind blowing from the fjords and the glow of the aurora illuminating the Northern sky, ITS San Giusto and the Landing Force of the San Marco Marine Brigade thus brought the presence and professionalism of the Italian Navy to one of the Atlantic Alliance's most fascinating and challenging operational theatres, contributing to collective security, the stability of the High North region, and strengthening Italy's credibility worldwide​