Dual-use means technologies and units of the Italian Navy that can be deployed for military as well as civil uses. This is a characteristic feature of the ITN units, often used for civil purposes. Our units have been designed to be “dual use,” in terms of enhanced logistic autonomy, support and service flexibility and with no need to depend on the main land where they are due to operate.

The range of activities carried out by the Italian Navy – all institutional, but not strictly military - are related to our own ships, as well as to all components of our organization.

The dual-use response provided by the Italian Navy, irrespective of the kind of duties (institutional or based on agreements and cooperation), can be explained as a range of activities carried out to support Italy’s civil protection agency, medical help granted by our hyperbaric chambers, support to anti-pollution surveillance in Ecological Protection Zones, other activities carried out at sea off the continental national platform, search and clearance of weapons and explosive devices from World War II, support to marine archeological parks protection, support to monitoring and protection of marine animals and plants (with or without scientific personnel onboard), support to scientific expeditions and hydro-oceanographic data collection, use of the units to host seminars, symposia, or promotional activities, contribute to spread sea and maritime culture, support to specific rehabilitation therapies hosting onboard dedicated sail boats young people with difficulties.

Some activities of particular interest to our collectivity are carried out by the Italian Navy on a daily basis. These include: support to seafarers through the production of charts and documents, management of lighthouses and signaling, water supply to islands, surveillance and protection of national interests, specifically off-shore platforms and maritime zones of national interest.

Yet, the activities carried out in favour of the civil populations is ever more important. Thanks to their intrinsic “dual” features, our units can perform different types of duties, that can be synthesized as medical assistance at home or abroad in case of natural disasters, made possible through our personnel and medical facilities onboard; Civil Protection Agency headquarters that can make use of satellite communication systems; energy, drinkable water and food supply; transfer of injured people with naval units and helicopters; humanitarian aid, exit strategies from areas at risk. Rescue and help hub, independent from the availability of infrastructures in the affected areas; search and rescue; anti-pollution surveillance and action.

The services provided by the units of the Italian Navy are multifaceted: navigation experiences with educational and therapeutic purposes; scientific studies at sea, including research, investigation and monitoring of archeological sites; events and seminars organization, availability of free technical equipment.