Recently in Muscat, EU Naval Force’s Italian warship ITS Fasan conducted combined exercises with the Royal Navy of Oman vessel Al Shinas.
During the meeting, the crews of both ships practiced boarding operations and conducted a casualty winching exercise using Fasan’s SH-90 helicopter. With a capacity to take up to 20 troops, or 12 stretchers, the SH-90 is an ideal helicopter for maritime operations. In addition to this the two warships took part in exercises known as a PASSEX which requires the warships to manoeuvre around each other in a safe manner.
Training such as this enables aviation and naval teams from different nations to work together and strengthen cooperation at sea, helping to reduce the threat posed by piracy off the coast of Somalia.