The Italian warship "Francesco Morosini" concluded its mission, which lasted approximately six months in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, with a visit to the Lebanese army's naval base in Beirut. The ship's commander, Captain Giovanni Mono, spoke about the activities conducted on board, stating: "This ship is a modern, high-tech, multipurpose vessel that conducts long-range patrols, logistical transport, surface combat, and advanced search and rescue operations due to its helicopter capabilities." He told "Warda" that the relationship between the Italian Navy and the Lebanese Navy is strong, adding, "We have robust cooperation on many issues and friendship between us. It is important to be here to greet our friends and demonstrate that Lebanon is important to us, as well as maintain good collaboration between the Italian and Lebanese navies in the training field."
During a press conference held aboard the ship, Captain Mono noted that the design of the ship features high operational flexibility and improved dual-use capabilities to perform military missions, including patrols, logistical transport, surface combat, and civil protection operations. It also has the capacity to accommodate containers designated for missions, such as logistical units and healthcare units, and to collaborate with special forces or command units. He highlighted that "among the missions of this ship is to conduct maritime diplomacy, perform water and naval patrols, and conduct training sessions for the countries it visits. It can also be used for humanitarian situations and can carry a field hospital on board."
He mentioned that the ship was built entirely in Italy by the Fincantieri company and includes advanced and medium-caliber gun systems, remote-control screens, as well as dual-band X-band radar, navigation radar, an electronic warfare system, and a friend-or-foe identification system, in addition to helicopters. The ship sailed for the first time in 2022 and is considered one of the lightest warships.
Captain Mono emphasized in response to journalists' questions that "the Mediterranean, the Indian, and the Pacific Oceans are very important for our trade, as most countries we visited base their economies on maritime trade. We wanted to engage in the broader concept of the Mediterranean region, and we want to demonstrate the significance of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. We also want to strengthen our relationships with all these countries we visited, and the tour that brought us here is a good signal for cooperation in security and trade. Additionally, this tour is essential for forming and cultivating close friendships despite the long distances that separate us. We needed to be there and to be here for our interests and those of our partners and friends."
