Italo-Maltese Combined Exercise - Canale 98

The annual Livex exercise organised bilaterally by the Maltese and Italian Armed Forces, CANALE '98, will be held in Malta during the period Friday 12th and Wednesday 17th June 1998. This year's Maritime and Land Exercise was planned and will be co-ordinated by the Armed Forces of Malta. This exercise is made up of three phases:-

• Maritime Search and Rescue

• Control of Merchant Shipping

• Peace Support and Humanitarian Assistance.

Naval, Air and Land Units from the Maltese and Italian Armed Forces will be participating in all phases of the exercise.

The Italian Armed Forces participation will be as follows:-

Army: One Infantry Platoon
Navy: The Frigate SCIROCCO
The Corvettes URANIA, MINERVA, SIBILLA
The Light House Tender LEVANZO
The Submarine DA VINCI
Two SH3D Helicopters

Air Force: One HH-3F Helicopter
Coast Guard: One Patrol Boat - CP 409
One P166 Fixed Wing Aircraft

The Armed Forces of Malta will be deploying the following Units:

Army: One Infantry Platoon
Mar Sqdn: Three Kondor Class Patrol boats
One Swift Class Patrol Boat

Air Sqdn: One AL III 316B Helicopter
One Fixed-Wing Aircraft PBN 2B

The French and Turkish Navy will be participating in the first two phases of the exercise as follows:

French Navy - Frigate - COMMANDANT BOUAN

Turkish Navy - Frigate - TGC EGE

Some 1300 troops will be participating in this exercise, 400 of which will be from the Armed Forces of Malta. Six countries forming part of the EUROMED Process, namely, Algeria, Cyprus, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia, will be sending observers.

The Maritime phases of this exercise will be carried out in both Territorial and International Waters. While the Land phase will be entirely carried out in Dwejra, Gozo.

Troops are being given the opportunity to familiarise and integrate with each other during a specially prepared Social, Cultural and Sports Programme, which will be held during the weekend. A skill-at-arms competition is also scheduled to take place at Safi Pistol Range on Saturday.