Italy carrier strike group joins Australia war games, will visit Philippines
DARWIN, Australia听–听An Italian听肠补谤谤颈别谤听蝉迟谤颈办别听驳谤辞耻辫听on its first deployment to the Indo-Pacific region will sail through the South China Sea to the听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别蝉听after participating in听飞补谤听驳补尘别蝉听with US allies in听础耻蝉迟谤补濒颈补, a senior Italian navy official said on Thursday.
The moves come amid rising tensions between China and some of its neighbors in the contested South China Sea region. About 40% of Europe’s foreign trade flows through the South China Sea, where the United States, Japan,听础耻蝉迟谤补濒颈补聽and other nations have conducted聽聽they say uphold freedom of navigation. China claims almost the entire strategic waterway.
The Italian aircraft听肠补谤谤颈别谤听Cavour is in the northern听础耻蝉迟谤补濒颈补n town of Darwin taking part in Exercise Pitch Black this week, where听滨迟补濒测听is contributing nearly two dozen fighter jets to the 20-nation drills with host听础耻蝉迟谤补濒颈补.
The United States, Britain, Japan,聽聽and Papua New Guinea are also taking part.
It is the first time an aircraft听肠补谤谤颈别谤听has joined the exercises, Italian Navy Rear Admiral Giancarlo Ciappina said.
Twenty-three Italian jets, including eight stealthy F-35Bs, are practicing dogfights,听蝉迟谤颈办别s and other operations alongside its allies over huge swathes of largely unpopulated land in northern听础耻蝉迟谤补濒颈补.
“Pitch Black gives us a chance to work with the main F-35 communities, shoulder to shoulder,” said Captain Dario Castelli, the聽蝉迟谤颈办别听group‘s听肠补谤谤颈别谤听air wing commander. “In terms of deploying far from home, it is also an incredible logistics exercise for us.”
After the current exercises end on Aug. 2, the 1,200-person strong Italian听肠补谤谤颈别谤听蝉迟谤颈办别听驳谤辞耻辫听will travel to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam and Japan, before transiting the South China Sea to the听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别蝉听for the first time, Mr. Ciappina said.
‘VERY POWERFUL TOOL’
Mr. Ciappina said his聽蝉迟谤颈办别听驳谤辞耻辫听did not plan to conduct any freedom of navigation operations.
The Cavour will carry out humanitarian work in the听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别蝉, performing surgery on children in the ship’s hospital while at port in Manila, he said.
“An aircraft听肠补谤谤颈别谤听– just being present somewhere, it has an effect, it can influence. It is a very powerful tool,” Mr. Ciappina said.
Manila and Beijing have traded barbs repeatedly over jurisdiction as the t聽challenges China’s permanent presence around strategic features inside Manila’s exclusive economic zone.
Mr. Ciappina said the Italian Navy’s first Indo-Pacific deployment improved its training and provided a better understanding of the region.
Although the deployment is not a NATO initiative,听滨迟补濒测听has coordinated with the French Navy and Britain’s Royal Navy, which will send ships to the region later in the year, to ensure significant capacity remains in the Mediterranean, he said.
“Everything is connected… that’s why we have to also be present in the Pacific now,” he said. – Reuters
