The Italian Navy has officially announced that the corvette ITS COMMANDANTE BETTICA, will join the EU Naval Force operating off the coast of Somalia this week.

The warship will join the Force on 07^th March 2009 and is expected to remain with Op Atalanta for the most of the month. The vessel is one of four “light combatant ships” that were built for the Italian Navy in 2003 and are ideally suited for anti piracy operations. With a crew of 70 they displace 1500 tons and are equipped with surveillance radar, a number of guns and a Bell Augusta helicopter.

The COMMANDANTE BETTICA has previously seen service with the United Nations UNIFIL Maritime Task Force off the Lebanon coast.