Free Republic

Italian special forces divers have recovered potentially crucial video equipment from the wreck of Mike Lynch’s superyacht, which could explain how it sank. Seven people, including the British tech tycoon and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, died when the Bayesian sank in severe weather off the coast of Sicily last month. The divers, from an Italian navy unit equivalent to Britain’s Special Boat Service, recovered video surveillance systems, computers and hard drives that will be sent to specialised labs, a source close to the investigation told Reuters. It is hoped that, if the equipment was recovered intact, it may help investigators...

Ukraine has pushed the Russian Navy into a largely passive stance in the Black Sea in recent months. This was in sharp contrast to the beginning of the war when they dominated the area. In the past few days there has been a significant change in the pattern however. Today the Black Sea near Sebastopol was busy with submarines and warships. Open sources, including analysis of Sentinel 2 satellite imagery from the European Space Agency, shows the increased activity. When the Sentinel 2 satellite passed over at 10:47 am local time there were a number of ships outside the harbor....

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Tuesday announced that the defense department’s plan to procure a warship from Italy is “nearing” contract signing. The procurement aims to boost the country’s posturing in defending its territorial waters especially amid the conflict in the West Philippine Sea. Speaking to the media after defending the Department of National Defense's P120.3-billion budget at the Senate, Gazmin said the procurement plan is “ongoing,” but admits that the lack of funds are hampering the speedy modernization of the country’s armed forces. “It is in the stage of short of signing… We are looking at that very seriously....

Italian Navy: tomorrow "Carlo Bergamini" frigate's launch, which can take helicopters on board Rome, Italy - Two NH-90 or one of them and a EH-101 (WAPA) - Tomorrow, on Saturday, July 16, at the Fincantieri shipyards in Riva Trigoso (Genoa), will take place the ceremony of launch of the first multi-role frigate "Carlo Bergamini" (F590). The event was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Biagio Abrate and Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Team Admiral Bruno Branciforte. The authorities will be received by Fincantieri CEO, Giuseppe Bono. Sponsor of the launch will be Mrs Maria Bergamini Loedler,...

The Italian navy has received the go-ahead to procure two 20,000-ton amphibious assault ships (LHDs), with the possibility of a third ship, configured with extensive aviation facilities (LHA). The preliminary LHD project is funded and will take 12 months for completion. It will be followed by a project definition phase requiring eight months and leading to a contract. Delivery of the first ship comes within 30 months after that. If everything goes to plan, the first LHD arrives in late 2014. LHDs will replace two 8,000-ton San Giorgio-class LPDs, commissioned in 1987 and 1988. The LHA will eventually replace the...

Representatives from the Italian air force and navy visited the 33rd Fighter Wing recently in an effort to check the progress of the first F-35 integrated training center and learn more about this new coalition venture. Things are moving, and this program is becoming real," said Rear Admiral Paolo Treu, director of Naval Aviation Department and commander of the Italian Fleet Air Arm. "I'm grateful to Eglin for giving us this opportunity. A lot of work has been done. A lot of work has to be done." Italy is one of several partner nations that will be training Joint Strike...