Somali security forces receive Italian rafts
Somali security forces have taken delivery of four ex-Italian Navy rafts from the Italian Ministry of Defence.
The vessels, which can carry up to 15 people, will be used for patrolling Somali ports and coastline.
The vessels have been delivered as part of a wider government effort to reconstruct and stablise Somalia, within the framework of the European EUTM Somalia mission and Regional Maritime Capacity Building in the Horn of Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.
The waters around Somalia remain a security risk to transiting vessels. The area is still patrolled by a number of national and international naval assets, including assets from counter-piracy operation Eunavfor Atalanta, and the European Union mission which, since March, includes Italian Navy frigate Espero.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Could the USCG icebreaker requirement open the door for more inland shipbuilding?]()
Could the USCG icebreaker requirement open the door for more inland shipbuilding?
The formation of a Great Lakes shipbuilding alliance could prompt a shift in how the US approaches naval and coast guard construction. But can distributed inland shipyards ease the country’s shipbuilding capacity?
-
![US Navy bets on radio frequency to increase vessel protection against aerial threats]()
US Navy bets on radio frequency to increase vessel protection against aerial threats
A Northrop Grumman RF-based defensive capability will equip USN destroyers and aircraft carriers to enhance their survivability against missile and drone attacks.
-
![Naval Group’s Barracuda bid could deepen Franco-Greek naval alignment]()
Naval Group’s Barracuda bid could deepen Franco-Greek naval alignment
As the Hellenic Navy looks to replace its ageing submarines with a next-generation fleet, other likely contenders for the programme include TKMS, Saab, Fincantieri, Navantia and Hanwha Ocean.
-
![US Navy budget seeks 34 ships on yesterday’s industrial base]()
US Navy budget seeks 34 ships on yesterday’s industrial base
The 2027 budget demands 34 new vessels, but ageing yards and backlogs raise questions about whether American shipbuilding can deliver.
-
![Australia is ramping up its uncrewed surface fleet as Sea Archer lines up for key requirement]()
Australia is ramping up its uncrewed surface fleet as Sea Archer lines up for key requirement
As advances in uncrewed technology increasingly shape Australia’s maritime future, Shephard spoke with the country’s head of navy capability and a Leidos Australia executive about the operational advantages behind the shift.
