defense – European Affairs Magazine

Hamas plotting major revenge attack, defense officials say

12 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Hamas is stepping up its efforts to carry out a major terrorist attack in Judea and Samaria to avenge the killing of one of its top operatives in the Gaza Strip, defense officials told Israel Hayom Wednesday. Mazen Faqha was killed in mid-March in what Hamas said was a Mossad assassination. Hamas has vowed to avenge Faqha, even going as far as directly threatening top Israel officials. The military and Shin Bet security agency have been following the group’s efforts very closely, and have stepped up their counterterrorism efforts across Judea and Samaria. Israeli authorities have arrested a number of terrorists operating under explicit instructions from Gaza to carry out attacks, mainly abductions and mass-casualty attacks. Faqha was a close associate of Hamas leader in Gaza.Hamas’ efforts to carry out a major terrorist attack compound existing security tensions, which are expected to escalate further against the backdrop of three coinciding events: The upcoming visit by U.S. President Donald Trump; Jerusalem Day, which this year marks the 50th anniversary of the capital’s reunification; and the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.Israeli security forces are collaborating with their Palestinian counterparts and the joint counterterrorism efforts have prevented dozens of attacks over the past few months. Defense officials predict that if a diplomatic breakthrough is achieved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during Trump’s visit, terrorists will consequently step up their efforts to carry out attacks.

European Air Transport Command, the Italian participation is operational

13 Gennaio 2016 Defence di

The Italian participation in the European Air Transport Command is operational. On December 4th 2014, Italy joined the protocol “pool & sharing” of military aviation, also signed by France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. The purpose of the agreement – belonging to the Security Policy and Common Defense – is to improve and to optimize available resources, through the standardization of procedures and the use of a common fleet, larger than those of the individual countries. The Italian Air Force has carried out the “transfer of authority” to EATC (European Air Transport Command) of most of the fleet of transport aircraft, aerial refueling and medical evacuation. Specifically, the European Command will manage 31 aircraft including C-27J, C-130J and KC 767, belonging to the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa and the 14th Wing of Pratica di Mare, depending on the Command of Support and Special Forces. If national requirements make it necessary, it is possible to require control of the aircrafts, thanks to the mechanism of the revoke transfer of authority. In addition to the significant cost savings provided, the Italian adhesion to EATC enhances the ability of military aviation of excellence – such as transportation in high bio-containment – “turning” it in “receivable accounts” with aircrafts of other EU nations participating. It gains greater flexibility and reduce the outsourcing of commercial aircraft in case of unavailability of the national ones. The subscription permit to access an “oversize” transport capacity, ensure greater correspondence between aircraft type and characteristics of the request, with a substantial improvement of the cost effectiveness throughout the industry.
Viviana Passalacqua

Lebanon, joint exercises for Taurinense Brigade

15 Dicembre 2015 Defence di

New round of joint exercises for Taurinense Mountain Brigade, who is leading the command of Sector West of UNIFIL mission in Lebanon. The activities cycle, planed to maintain their training level and to implement procedures with units coming from other countries, were concluded with the final coaching day near the village of Naqoura. In this area converged Italian maneuvering units, engaged with French and Ghanaian equivalent units in the simulation of a serious accident and of the following management of tension escalation. During the training the exploring units of the Nizza Cavalry Regiment, providing the Sector Mobile Reserve (reserve unit and rapid deployment) of the western sector of the UNIFIL mission, have implemented the application of standard procedures and rapid intervention. At the same time, the Brigade Taurinense staff, was responsible for coordinating and implementing the procedures of command and control through a series of specific exercises wich involved, now, most of the employed units, both national and foreign. All this within the framework of the activities undertaken by the Alpine troops in southern Lebanon, where, since two months, they ensure the control of the territory in their area of responsibility, in close coordination with the Lebanese armed forces, through continued joint patrols and a capillary presence on the territory, using the maneuver units of Nizza Cavalry Regiment (1st) and of the Alpine Battalion L’Aquila.
Viviana Passalacqua

Italian Defense in the global context

19 Agosto 2015 Europe/Policy di

The Italian Defense increases efforts to maintain stability in crisis areas, by coming to terms with the new cuts imposed on the industry and maximizing international cooperation’s benefits.

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This is the new orientation of the national military policy, inserted into a global relationship system, that on the one hand guarantees the support of operational and technological synergies, on the other hand requires efficient answers to the new challenges posed by the global geopolitical context.

While America formally asks us to confirm the commitment to contain the problem of Ukraine and to calm the relation with Russia, Europe entrusts us a leading role in resolving the crisis that closely threatens Mediterranean. This means that we must establish an “impartial” dialogue with Middle East countries, reinforce the basic relations with Egypt, resolve the Libyan issue, monitor the migration routes and take responsibility for the stability of the whole area. In this perspective, Italy must be a leader in ensuring the effectiveness of collective instruments such as the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance for the strengthening of the EU Common Security and Defence, promoting the sharing of resources between countries’ members, also in terms of fiscal incentives for military sector. According to the White Defense Paper’s directives, presented by the Minister Pinotti, Italy aims to prefer the multilateral partnerships to the bilateral ones, contrary to the past, in order to enhance the transatlantic bond thanks to the agreement between the European dimension of Defense and NATO.

After defining the euro-Atlantic and Mediterranean regions as priority areas of intervention, the presence of our soldiers in marginal operations has been considerably reduced. Of the more than thirty missions spread across all continents, therefore, remain in operational twenty-four, in the ONU, NATO and EU settings. Among these, strategic missions are MIBIL UNIFIL in Lebanon, intended to support the population and the country’s structure after the Syrian conflict; the Resolute Support in Afghanistan, consecutive to ISAF and focused on training Afghan militias; KFOR in Kosovo, which provides support to humanitarian organizations assisting refugees; the two European Union Training Missions in Mali, against local terrorist groups, and in Somalia, where Italy participates in the European strategy for the Horn of Africa security; the “Prima Parthica” operation in Iraq, in contrast to the ISIS, and finally the MIL operation in Libya, started after the civil war resulted in the fall of Gheddafi.
Viviana Passalacqua
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“Technological” Defense

10 Agosto 2015 Innovation di

«If the Allies had not understood the Enigma Cipher Machine operation, World War II would have had a different ending», said the British Intelligence Officer Frederick Wintherbotham, anticipating the future global trend of conflicts’ evolution. By the expressions “electronic war” and “technological war”, skilled specialists indicate the development of various fighting’s methods, focused on research and innovation. But progress plays a fundamental role also in terms of strategic response at the modern offensive, to restore stability in compromised geopolitical context.

There are numerous examples of this, such as the storage of biometric data by iris’ scanning for identification of jihadists, a system developed by the US, as well as the Predator, the Italian Air Force drone used to peek at the movements of Libyan and Afghan. Hence, the need to strengthen cooperation not only between different countries, but also more directly between Army, industry and university. This is an indispensable synergy to be up against threats of international terrorism and cyber attacks. A modern security pullback based on “dual systems”, which is valiant for both civil and military uses, is necessary also to revolutionize the culture itself. Strumentazioni all’avanguardia e personale addestrato al loro utilizzo.

Advanced equipment and personnel trained in their use. In this sense, the Defence White Document gaves clear instructions: it’s important to draw up a transparent long-term planning, which guarantees the efficiency of resources and an adequate enhancement of the national industrial excellence, for innovation and for job opportunities. Everything must be done in order to choose the best companies that represent a chance of growth for Italy, currently leader in the segments of aerospace and weapons production. For this purpose, specific plans will identify the best districts, creating partnerships outlined between Defense, business, universities and research world. The program will also cover the expenditure items. The last purchase marked on the Defense budget, concerns an American missil equipment for robot aircraft, while the powerful drone “Piaggio” is the novelty of “made in Italy” industry.