[Goose]

Maybe Italy can learn from the Ukrainian navy?

BC

Actually, one can argue that the Ukrainians are merely imitating the Italians usage of self-developed unconventional weapons. The attack on the British Fleet in Alexandria harbor by Decima Flottiglia MAS left the BBs HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth sitting on the harbor bottom. Italy definitely beat Ukraine in the tonnage war :).  Unfortunately for Italy they had a competent set of opponents in the Royal Navy and US Navy that actually had a warplan that involved denying Italy the ability to mount any naval threat. They had the (overwhelming) power to execute that plan and did so, resulting in the amphibious invasion of Italy. Ukraine has a Russian navy that really never had a plan (or intention) to do the same to Ukraine. They arguably never had the power to do so either. Thus Ukraine has been left the freedom to develop and employ novel and creative weapons against the Russian navy.

Today, Italy can't use any kind of kinetic weapons against Russia. Wonderful drones will do them no good. Their mission is to do what Ukraine's navy could not, namely convince the Russians that their navy would have no chance at all if a conflict broke out. This is "deterrence" is not as dramatic as actually damaging a Russian ship but is even more important. Preventing war is the Italian navy's job. They do that by demonstrating to the Russians that the can't go anywhere in the Mediterranean without a NATO "shadow" ensuring that they don't engage in any "improper activities". It is critical that the Russians actually see this shadow, so there is no doubt in their minds they are being watched. It is a boring thankless task, but it has to be done. It keeps lots of guys at sea and badly stresses a navy that is relatively short of assets. Of course, they have more assets in the Med than we do, so they get the job. They do get help from US maritime surveillance capabilities, but that's about it.

[Goose]

Maybe Italy can learn from the Ukrainian navy?

BC

Actually, one can argue that the Ukrainians are merely imitating the Italians usage of self-developed unconventional weapons. The attack on the British Fleet in Alexandria harbor by Decima Flottiglia MAS left the BBs HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth sitting on the harbor bottom. Italy definitely beat Ukraine in the tonnage war :).  Unfortunately for Italy they had a competent set of opponents in the Royal Navy and US Navy that actually had a warplan that involved denying Italy the ability to mount any naval threat. They had the (overwhelming) power to execute that plan and did so, resulting in the amphibious invasion of Italy. Ukraine has a Russian navy that really never had a plan (or intention) to do the same to Ukraine. They arguably never had the power to do so either. Thus Ukraine has been left the freedom to develop and employ novel and creative weapons against the Russian navy.

Today, Italy can't use any kind of kinetic weapons against Russia. Wonderful drones will do them no good. Their mission is to do what Ukraine's navy could not, namely convince the Russians that their navy would have no chance at all if a conflict broke out. This is "deterrence" is not as dramatic as actually damaging a Russian ship but is even more important. Preventing war is the Italian navy's job. They do that by demonstrating to the Russians that the can't go anywhere in the Mediterranean without a NATO "shadow" ensuring that they don't engage in any "improper activities". It is critical that the Russians actually see this shadow, so there is no doubt in their minds they are being watched. It is a boring thankless task, but it has to be done. It keeps lots of guys at sea and badly stresses a navy that is relatively short of assets. Of course, they have more assets in the Med than we do, so they get the job. They do get help from US maritime surveillance capabilities, but that's about it.