The Unit's main task is to fight maritime pollution, and she played a major role in 1992 preventing crude spillage into the sea from oil tanker Haven, curbing the negative effects of these substances on the marine environment.

In the following years, the unit was engaged in the Sicily Channel patrolling migration flows and watching over the compliance of national fishing regulations. In this sense, ITS Vega has performed several defence operations, as in 1994, when she averted the high-jacking of motor trawler "Cesare Augusto" or, a few years later, of the "Annie Russo," both Tunisian Patrol motor-boats.

As for her migrations patrolling activities, the Unit has been often involved in Search & Rescue Operations of Human Lives at Sea (S.A.R.). With increased floods of migrants, countless operations have been carried out by the unit and her crew, often in harsh weather conditions to rescue decaying boats which do not even meet the basic security requirements. One for all: on December 15, 2002, while patrolling the waters south of the island of Lampedusa on a fishing surveillance task, ITS Vega rescued 174 survivors from from a wrecked boat coming from Northern Africa, among which a pregnant woman, a seriously dehydrated man and one injured.

Within her training activities, ITS Vega's scope is wide: she is used by the Naval Command School for Lieutenants on their way to take up the role of Commander, recently embarked Officers who must obtain their Operative Pilot Bridge Guard Qualification and, in the summer campaigns, Officers and Cadets attending the Naval Academy.

Since 1992, ITS Vega has taken part in several exercises, instrumental to maintain high training standards for both the Unit and her crew members. Thanks to these exercises and many other activities, in the past twenty years ITS Vega has played a fundamental role in operations where the Mediterranean Sea was involved.

The Crest of the Unit is a bronze circle depicting the sky for two thirds and the sea for one third. Top right is the Lyra Constellation (including her brightest star, Vega); top left the caption "LIRAE." Below is the silhouette of the unit sailing against the sky and on the lower part the name "Nave Vega." Outside the circle the bungee with the motto: "Sempre e Ovunque" (Always and Everywhere). On the very top is the towered crown with rostra that reminds of the honour and valour of Roman seafarers, conquerors of lands across the oceans.