The Italy-Tunisia bilateral exercise Oasis 24 has just concluded in Augusta, conducted in the waters near the naval base.

The offshore patrol vessel Orione and the auxiliary water tanker Ticino, part of the Fourth Naval Division - Command of Patrol Forces for Surveillance and Coastal Defense (COMDINAV4 - COMFORPAT), an SH-212 helicopter from the Catania Naval Air Station (MARISTAELI Catania), and an inspection team from the San Marco Marine Brigade (BMSM) have trained with the Tunisian Navy's coastal patrol vessel Hannon to enhance mutual knowledge and improve interoperability of assets, procedures, and tactics at sea.

The annual Oasis exercise, which has been held since 1999 within the framework of the "5+5" Mediterranean maritime cooperation initiative between the navies of both sides of the Mediterranean, took place from 18 to 22 November. The initiative involves France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain on the northern shore, and Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, and Tunisia on the southern shore. Exercise Oasis is one of the many bilateral training activities that the Italian Navy regularly conducts with the navies of North African countries.

This year's edition, under Italian leadership, was coordinated and conducted by the staff of the Fourth Naval Division. Italian and Tunisian naval forces participated in training exercises focused on maritime surveillance and traffic control, countering illicit activities at sea, and damage control and passive defence procedures.

Furthermore, inspection teams from both navies, after an initial familiarization phase, conducted Vessel Boarding Search and Seizure (VBSS) activities.

In addition, the diving teams from both naval units, after sharing procedures for intervention and the use of equipment and tools normally used in operational activities, trained by conducting a joint dive to inspect the hulls of ships moored at the Tullio Marcon Pier of the Augusta naval base.

The bilateral event occurred shortly after the Italian Navy's patrol vessel Spica and the Coast Guard's vessel Fiorillo made a port call in Tunis as part of exercise Phoenix Express 2024. In that occasion, the two Italian units hosted the Italian Ambassador to Tunisia, H.E. Alessandro Prunas. This event served to reinforce the already strong capacity to conduct joint operations and provided an additional opportunity for mutual professional exchange, helping to maintain and enhance the capabilities, integration, and interoperability of the operational teams involved, further strengthening the excellent relationship between the two navies