From 4 to 8 February 2019, the bilateral Exercise OASIS was held in Taranto.

The exercise – annually conducted since 1999 - is part of a series of cooperation activities carried out by the Italian Navy together with navies from other Mediterranean countries.

The 2019 edition – under Italy's lead – has been conducted in the Gulf of Taranto, planned and coordinated by the Taranto-based Naval Air Training Centre (MARICENTADD) of the Italian Navy. During the exercise, Italian and Tunisian assets trained together in the field of maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), surveillance and control of maritime traffic, fight against illicit activities at sea, search and removal of devices found on the seabed, fire-fighting and damage control.

Italian naval assets participating in the exercise included Offshore Patrol Vessel Comandante Cigala Fulgosi, a ship-embarked SH-212 helicopter, a boarding team of the 2nd Regiment of the San Marco Marine Brigade, and a diver team from the Taranto-based Insidious Device Disposal Expert (SDAI) Team, reporting to the  Operational Raiders and Divers Group (COMSUBIN). The Tunisian Navy participated with Patrol Vessel Jugurtha, a boarding team, a diver team and a H60M helicopter from Tunis, redeployed for the occasion at Grottaglie Naval Air Station (MARISTAER).

The two navies' boarding teams – led by expert trainers of the 2nd Regiment of the San Marco Marine Brigade – conducted a fast rope training exercise from helicopter to the ground at the Brigade's training facilities in Brindisi, followed by a second phase onboard helicopters, with Italian and Tunisian pilots and flight personnel, at Grottaglie Naval Air Station. The team also conducted a Vessel Boarding Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercise onboard frigate ITS Espero, docked at the Taranto Naval Base, training in insertion from Italian high speed craft, steered for the first time also by Tunisian pilots, before repeating the same activities out at sea, during the LIVEX phase.

At the same time, divers of the SDAI Team – after drilling together with their Tunisian colleagues in the use of work tools and equipment - trained with a joint dive team to conduct search and disposal of explosive ordnance found on the seabed.

During the following phase at sea, crews could put into practice the procedures they had got used to in port facilities, conducting Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, including management of a maritime SAR incident, surveillance and control of maritime traffic, fight against illicit activities at sea, insertion of boarding teams also from helicopter, kinematic manoeuvres, response to asymmetric threats posed by fast attack craft, fire-fighting and damage control.

The entire training activity has been conducted under the operational control and coordination of the Combined Maritime Operational Centre (C-MOC), specially created at MARICENTADD and jointly managed by Italian and Tunisian personnel who monitored the operations at sea sharing the information necessary to obtain a precise and timely Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA).

This bilateral event has confirmed a well-established opportunity for mutual professional exchange, useful in enhancing the capabilities, as well as the integration and interoperability of the teams involved, thereby strengthening the excellent relation already existing between the two Navies.