Italy is not at war, but six Navy frigates are operational in the hottest scenarios: from the Gulf to Cyprus (and the Alpino has returned from the Arctic).

The operational scenarios in which the Italian Navy operates have changed. From the icy waters of the North Atlantic to the warm theaters of the Red Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, Italy is conducting a complex strategic game on multiple fronts. The backbone of this projection consists of the FREMM, multirole frigates of the latest generation capable in both air defense and anti-submarine warfare.

According to the latest open-source information, there are at least six units currently at sea or heading towards key areas, confirming the country's role as a primary security provider in Europe. Some are even operating “under the radar”, invisible to public tracking for essential operational needs.

The protagonist of these weeks is the frigate Federico Martinengo (F 596). Departing from Taranto on March 6, 2026 with over 160 military personnel on board, it has reached the waters of Cyprus to strengthen the island's defensive shield, against the backdrop of rising regional tensions related to the war in Iran and the risk of asymmetric reprisals.

Part of a European task force led by France, the Martinengo employs advanced multifunction radars and Aster 15/30 missiles to create an anti-drone and anti-rocket “bubble”, which has become essential for the security of the area.

On the critical front of global trade routes, the Luigi Rizzo (F 595) operates continuously in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. A veteran of the Atalanta anti-piracy mission, it is currently engaged in enhancing the operation Aspides of the European Union, in light of the regional escalation.

A crucial task for the West: to protect European merchant vessels from asymmetric attacks, thereby safeguarding supply chains and price stability on the continent.

In the central Mediterranean, the focus is on strategic surveillance and anti-submarine warfare. The frigate Virginio Fasan (F 591) serves as the flagship in the permanent naval group NATO SNMG2.

Accompanied by the twin Spartaco Schergat (F 598) and various submarines during the complex allied exercise Dynamic Manta 2026, it is not limited to training: it has recently conducted real and ongoing "shadowing" activities, that is, close surveillance, on Russian units transiting near Sicily and Sardinia.

The Italian commitment extends to North America with the frigate Alpino (F 594). After "C2X" exercises with U.S. carrier groups and strategic stops in Boston and New York between late February and early March, the campaign has translated into an effective action of naval diplomacy: verification of interoperability with the U.S. Navy, sharing of standards and certifications, and at the same time, a technological showcase for the dual-use systems of the national defense industry.

Units such as Antonio Marceglia (F 597) and Carlo Bergamini (F 590), which have recently returned or are in dry dock for maintenance, ensure that the Navy Fleet always has assets at peak efficiency.