English translation by Frank McMeiken

Mare Aperto is the most important and significant exercise organised on an annual basis by the Italian Marina Militare, and is divided into two sessions, a spring phase and an autumn phase.
A well-established and traditional Italian Navy event, which has been organised for many years, despite its change of designation, it continues to bring with it the concepts created from the primary exercise, aimed at preparing the Squadra Navale to confront the tasks that the nation will require it to perform in the future. A difference from past edition was that this year the event was enriched by a further training aspect designated Amphex, although the latter, as opposed to Mare Aperto, was conducted solely on a national level.
The “theatre” where this exercise was conducted was the Tyrrhenian Sea and the southern coasts of Sardinia, a convenient meeting place in the Mediterranean for the important military structures of the Marina housed at Taranto and La Spezia; this stretch of sea is also very close to a coastal region of the island which is very important, thanks to the presence of internationally significant military structures, such as the Capo Teulada and Capo Frasca weapons ranges and the Perdasdefogu missile test centre, which are principally utilised for the training of land forces and as firing ranges for ships and aircraft. In this particular area of the Tyrrhenian it is also possible to perform anti-submarine missions, thanks to the particular depth of the sea.
The architecture of Mare Aperto was very complex, and was developed through phases which will now be examined: at the beginning, the first phase was dedicated to a tactical updating seminar held between 16 and 19 February. The following phase, lasting five days, was held at the beginning of March, during which a simulation titled Amphex 10-1 was conducted, while the most intense and complex part of the exercise was held from 9 March until the 17 of the same month. While the part dedicated to the multinational exercise was concluded on 17 March, as previously mentioned, this year Mare Aperto had a six day appendix, which finally ended on 24 March.
The assets which participated in the event were obviously, in the main, provided by the Marina Militare, although a small element was provided by the French Marine Nationale, a small contribution, but sufficient to be an indication of its multi-national ambitions. Some 2,500 men and women took part in Mare Aperto, and this figure explains, more than any other statistic, the importance and complexity of the exercise. In terms of the assets participating in Mare Aperto 2010 the Marina Militare provided some twelve warships, amongst which the flagship aircraft carrier/cruiser Garibaldi and the new destroyer Caio Duilio, two submarines, ten AV 8B Harrier II, four EH 101ASW/ASuW, eight AB 212ASW/ASuW, of which two were in Eliassalto (helicopter assault) configuration, and finally the Reggimento San Marco; having listed the operational assets present in the “field”, we can now list those high commands of the Marina which were involved in the event:

-Comando in Capo of the Squadra Navale (CINCNAV):
-Direttore Esercitazione (DIREX) – Controllo Esercitazione AMPHEX (EXCON)
-Comando delle Forze D’Altura (COMFORAL): Comandante Task Force (CTF)/Commander Amphibious Task Force (CATF) -Comandante Alpha forces exercise AMPHEX
-Comando Forza da Sbarco (COMFORSBARC): Comandante Landing Force (CLF)
-Comando Forze da Pattugliamento (COMFORPAT): Comandante Task Group (CTG) opposition forces in WASEX – Comandante Charlie forces, exercise AMPHEX
-Comando delle Forze Aeree (COMFORAER): involved in the DIREX/EXCON cell
-Comando delle Forze Subacquee (COMFORSUB): involved in the DIREX/EXCON cell
-Centro Addestramento Aeronavale (MARICENTADD): involved in the DIREX/EXCON cell – Analysis and evaluation of the exercise
-Centro Telecomunicazione ed Informatica (MARITELE): C4I support

I have just mentioned the Italian flagship, and I therefore fell duty bound to offer some information about what, until around three months ago, was the most powerful and important ship of the Marina Militare, now only outclassed by the launch of the carrier Cavour. The Garibaldi was commissioned at the shipyard of Fincantieri di Monfalcone at the end of the Seventies, with construction commencing in March 1981, the ship was launched on 4 June 1984, with delivery to the service following one year later. Between May 2002 and May 2003 the ship underwent a significant modification programme. The Garibaldi was conceived to perform the functions of command and control of naval forces, and simultaneously to provide support to the Squadra Navale through the air component which it hosted on board.
With its 14,184 tonnes displacement at full weight, its 180 metre length, 30 metres width, a power output of 82,000 hp which enables it to achieve 31.5 knots, up to 12 AV 8B Harrier II, two AB 212ASW/ASuW, two EH 101ASW/AsuW and the 850 (maximum) men and women of its crew, it is , to all intents and purposes, the flagship of the Marina Militare.
Besides the Marina Militare, other Italian armed forces participated in the exercise, with an air component being provided by the Aeronautica Militare comprising four EF 2000 Typhoon, four F 16ADF, three Tornado IDS, five AMX and an Atlantic. The Esercito Italiano supplied a land component involving the presence of elements of the 17° Reggimento Sforzesca C/A (anti-aircraft), 7° Reggimento Articavallo Milano (artillery) and the 3° Reggimento Bersaglieri (infantry).
France’s Marine Nationale took part in Mare Aperto with one warship and an Atlantic anti-submarine aircraft.
Finally, as the Italian national defence structure has no airborne AWACS element, the presence was requested of two NATO E 3A radar picket aircraft, which were detached from Germany.
Mare Aperto fulfils a fundamental role on a training level for the organising armed service, being the only event of its genre and of a highly complex and multi-disciplined nature, so creating the environment that will optimise the employment of its resources and enable the experience acquired to be transferred into its operational activities.
I have just referred to an event of a highly complex level; this level has been obtained through the organising of the exercise so that the difficulties increase day by day, with events being conducted on a serial basis. In the final phase of the exercise it moved into an environment designated “free play”, where there were no predetermined rules, but the commanders of the two opposing forces being granted freedom of action. Moreover, this “free play” was most useful in the preparation for the subsequent phase, designated Amphex, which was characterised by “full time” engagement with this criteria.
I have written of two opposing forces, and I believe that it is superfluous to explain why these alignments are created in a military environment, but it is perhaps less obvious that in order to recreate the most realistic training situation possible, it is necessary to reflect “situational awareness” that encompasses the present geopolitical realities which influence the daily lives of people in industrialised countries. It is fairly obvious to say so, but let us not forget that in recent years, this situation of confrontation of terrorism and opposition to the co-called “rogue states” has engaged, and continues to engage an enormous effort in terms of both personnel, equipment, and economic resources. To create around a table a training simulation that was as realistic as possible, a stress situation was conceived, where in a small community designated “bravo” an internal crisis materialised which could develop into civil war and associated ethnic cleansing. Nation “alpha”, under a UNO mandate, was tasked with intervening to stabilise the area: into this environment was thrown a third component, known as “charlie”, which had strong interests in the smaller “bravo” and was seeking to influence its daily political life. At this point the game plan was that two alignments were created, on one side the UNO with its associated armed forces, charged with bring peace around the globe through Peacekeeping missions, and on the other the classic rogue state which does not recognise global institutions and wishes to retain control over its own power. Unfortunately, since the end of the Cold War situations like these have been all too frequent, and if some have been positively resolved it has been thanks to the intervention of some armed forces.
Obviously, when arranging an exercise with a training focus, during the planning phase the Stato Maggiore laid down targets, and these can be grouped into a multitude of goals considered fundamental to the best outcome of the exercise. These were:
-Increase the operational capacity, readiness, and effectiveness of both the staff involved and the participating forces.
-Conduct Joint and Combined training in a multi-threat environment.
-Conduct training of prized assets in the arena of electronic warfare and anti-aircraft operations.
-Increase the advanced training of the aero-naval forces.
-Exploitation of the Net-Centric capacity of the Squadra Navale.
-Application of EBAO (Effects Based Approach to Operations) concepts in the maritime dimension.
-Conduct advanced training with the IEF (Initial Entry Force) amphibious component, emphasising the STOM (Ship To Objective Manoeuvre) capacity.
-Increase the capacity of the Squadra Navale to confront asymetric threats, piracy, and naval IEDs.
-Contribute to the integrated surveillance of maritime areas, also in conjunction with the coastal radar stations.
-Train the forces to deter and confront in a realistic ROE context, with particular reference to the legal and regulatory aspects.
-Train the forces in the management of operational information.
-Train commanders at sea to interface with the Political Advisor (POLAD) figure.
-Train commanders to manage external communications and to engage with a level of embedded journalists.
-Develop analysis capabilities, in real time, and evaluation in the field (sea riding).
If on first analysis this exercise could seem to represent what has by now become the daily bread and butter of any serious armed force, in the 2010 edition of Mare Aperto the Stato Maggiore della Marina took the decision to introduce into the arena a totally new aspect, that of media engagement. This factor has been created after a period of globalisation where journalism is a very important component which can significantly influence public opinion. Obviously, a military service, even one of significant size, cannot possess within its own structure a media organisation capable of recreating what would be conducted in the case of a conflict, and this lay behind the involvement of the Centro Studi Internazionali, led by Dottor Andrea Margelletti. Professionals from the sector and personnel from the Marina formed the Team EXCON; the principal scope of the Team was that of creating news publications from both components, and through publications, including real time output, to try and influence the opposing forces. Not being capable of synthesising into one single phrase the role of EXCON, I offer the following list:
- Umpiring all the exercise events in real time.
- Real time ‘play management’ of the losses.
- Evaluation of the training of naval vessels in the conduct of activities conducted under the maximum realism, with the use of Sea Riders.
- Analysis and evaluation of the tactical events, with assistance from NASA.
- Emanation, as a function of the evolution of the events, of the consequent documentary requirements (UNSCR, Diplomatic Notes, Legal Notices).
- Application of the exercise ‘media game’ through officers of the STAFF and embedded journalists, and development of the SIMPRESS.
- Exercise media pressure on Commanders at sea.
- Influence the decision making process.
- Confer major realism to the scenario.
- Contribute to the training of Commanders in the management of external communications.
Remaining in the press arena, on 17 March on board the Garibaldi a Media Day was organised to explain to the correspondents the progress of Mare Aperto 2010 and the following Ampex phase. The press conference was held in the Officers’ Drawing Room, and after the formal greetings from the Comandante della Nave, Capitano di Vascello Gueglio, and his Vice Capitano di Fregata Rutteri, the podium was taken by Ammiraglio di Squadra Luigi Binelli Mantelli who, as Comandante in Capo della Squadra Navale (CINCNAV) and exercise commander, illustrated the multiple and important activities which have characterised the recent years of the Marina Militare Italiana and outlined the background to the organisation of Mare Aperto. Further in-depth analysis of the conduct of and background to the exercise were provided by Capitano di Vascello Pasanisi. In terms of the introduction of an entirely new element into Mare Aperto 2010, the insertion of a media component, Dottor Margelletti explained in a very positive manner the reason behind the decision, and the added value that it brought, not only to the exercise, but also to the requirement to better publicise certain activities and subsequently render them more visible.
The Media Day, moreover, was an important opportunity to witness the work of the flying units of the Marina Militare, during which there was notable activity, despite the fact that the 17th was a day of transition between one phase of the exercise (Mare Aperto) and the next (Amphex), with take-offs and landings of a few AV 8B Harrier II and SH 3D and EH 101ASH helicopters; unfortunately the other vessels of the Squadra Navale were being repositioned, and it was only possible to closely examine the new destroyer Caio Duilio.