The Italian Navy’s FREMM frigate ITS Alpino (F594), which arrived at Norfolk Naval Station last week, has left the port yesterday to take part in a major multinational exercise in the Atlantic. The ship is joining the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group as it conducts COMPTUEX workups this week, underscoring Italy’s growing role in allied maritime readiness and NATO interoperability.
Earlier on January 28, Royal Canadian Navy Rear Admiral David E. Mazur, vice commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet, visited the Italian frigate at Naval Station Norfolk in a show of allied cooperation ahead of the Alpino’s integration into the carrier strike group. During the visit, Rear Admiral Mazur presented a gift to Commander Sara Vinci, commanding officer of ITS Alpino, in a gesture reflecting the strong ties between the Italian Navy and U.S. maritime forces.
The Alpino is a Carlo Bergamini-class multipurpose frigate, part of the FREMM (European Multipurpose Frigate) family, and is one of the Italian Navy’s most capable surface combatants. Designed for anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, and air defence, the ship brings significant capability to combined operations alongside U.S. and allied naval units.
Participation in COMPTUEX — the Composite Training Unit Exercise — is a critical milestone for any carrier strike group preparing for deployment. These rigorous workups integrate air, surface, and sub-surface forces to test command and control, defence against airborne and underwater threats, and coordinated strike operations. ITS Alpino’s presence in the exercise highlights Italy’s commitment to maintaining high standards of interoperability and collective defence.
Joining Alpino in the exercise is also the Spanish Navy frigate Blas de Lezo, further illustrating the trend toward multinational task force structures that enhance allied flexibility and responsiveness. The combined operations in the Atlantic are designed not only to sharpen tactical skills but also to strengthen the shared doctrines and cooperative procedures that enable NATO navies to operate seamlessly together.
For the Marina Militare, this deployment builds on recent missions in the Mediterranean and other theatres, reinforcing the strategic value of FREMM frigates within NATO’s broader maritime posture. The training that ITS Alpino is undertaking this week alongside the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group will contribute directly to combined readiness, ensuring that Italian and allied forces remain prepared for future joint operations.
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