Pitch Black 2024, Italian Ambassador Paolo Crudele in Darwin

(ANSA) - ROMA, 02 AGO - The Ambassador of Italy to Australia, Paolo Crudele, led an important mission to Darwin between 31 July and 2 August, characterised by a dense series of appointments and institutional meetings and aimed at testifying to our country's growing interest and commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.
    Assisted by the Head of the Military Attaché of the Italian Embassy in Canberra, Colonel Marco Bertoli, the Ambassador welcomed the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the Commander of the Southern Maritime Command of the Italian Navy, Admiral Vincenzo Montanaro, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, General Luca Goretti, and General Alberto Biavati, Commander of the Air Force, who had arrived in Australia during the final stages of the Pitch Black military exercise.
    It was Italy's first participation in the multilateral training exercise, which has been held every two years since 1981," the embassy said in a note. Organised this year in Darwin by Australia between 12 July and 2 August, it brought together a large number of military land and sea assets and more than 4,000 personnel from 20 countries (Italy, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Fiji, the Philippines, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, the USA, Fiji and New Zealand).
    For the occasion, Italy brought to northern Australia the Carrier Strike Group, consisting of the aircraft carrier Cavour and the frigate Alpino; Eurofighters and F-35s; support assets, including N-H90 helicopters, C-130Js, the CAEW aircraft, and the KC-767A tanker; and over 400 men and women of our Navy and Air Force.
    "Italy's contribution to Pitch Black was extraordinary and much appreciated by the Australian military and political authorities, including the Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who had the opportunity to visit our aircraft carrier Cavour, which arrived in Australia for the first time in history. We showcased our capabilities, strengthened mutual understanding and worked on the interoperability of our assets with those of Australia and our regional partners. In these weeks our men and women have written a fundamental chapter in Italy's projection as a security provider, contributing to intensifying relations and friendships in a regional quadrant that is so important for our interests, international trade and geostrategic balances," Ambassador Crudele commented.