ABU DHABI // UAE and Italian forces are conducting naval exercises this week in the Arabian Gulf, as the Emirates awaits delivery of its first stealth ship.
The Leading Edge 2013 exercise, which began on January 27 and will continue until Thursday, is in collaboration with US and Bahraini military units.
The exercise aims to improve international cooperation against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and provide an exchange expertise, said Commander Massimiliano Lauretti, the commanding officer of the Italian stealth patrol vessel Cigala Fulgosi.
The Cigala Fulgosi, commissioned in 2001, is a Commandante-class light battle ship with stealth capabilities, and is of the same class as the new UAE Navy ship.
The Abu Dhabi-class ship is due to be unveiled at the International Defence Exhibition (Idex), to be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from February 17 to 21.
"The ship … conducts patrol, surveillance and security operations," said Commander Lauretti.
UAE and Italian forces carried out a number of exercises that involved boarding, searching and seizing vessels.
"The UAE team was very good in executing the tasks and we had a very good experience, where we exchanged a lot of information and learnt things from each other," he said.
Giorgio Starace, the Italian ambassador, said the new UAE ship, built by the Italian shipwright Fincantieri, will have the latest technology.
"The Abu Dhabi-class ships that will be commissioned will be the equivalent of a Ferrari. It has the top-of-the-line specs of Italian technology," Mr Starace said.
"This military and security cooperation between Italy and the UAE is not just a simple cooperation, it is a partnership that is progressing very quickly."
Last November, after the visit of Italian prime minister Mario Monti, the UAE and Italy signed a defence cooperation agreement that was political and technical, Mr Starace said.
Lt Col Pietro Carrozza, the Italian deputy defence attache, said many points in the agreement involving combined exercises and consultations had been fulfilled.
"The cooperation has been incredibly rapid and successful, with 90 per cent of our combined objectives achieved," Lt Col Carrozza said.
Commander Lauretti said UAE naval officers would be travelling to Italy and stationed as observers in various operations with the Italian navy this year.
"There are four visits every year from the UAE Navy, according to our agreements," said Lt Col Carrozza.
Mr Starace said the Italian presence this year at Idex would be significant, with more than 30 companies exhibiting.
"We hope to achieve more partnerships in the UAE with companies such as Tawazun and Mubadala to develop new technologies," he said.
"The UAE is going to become the centre of reference in the security, defence and military industries."
An agreement to transfer technology is in force at Etihad Ship Building in Abu Dhabi, which is a joint venture between Fincantieri and Al Fattan Ship Industries.
The Abu Dhabi-class ship's main missions are long and medium-range patrols, primarily for surveillance but also for combat.
"We have conducted anti-piracy operations, seizures and defensive operations," Commander Lauretti said.
"The Cigala Fulgosi is usually stationed in the Mediterranean Sea, but we also conduct operations in the Horn of Africa, the Indian Ocean and most recently the Arabian Gulf.
"It has a top speed of 26 knots and has a high endurance, coupled with its control flexibility."
The ship operates with a crew of 80 and eight officers.
The overall length is 88.4 metres, the full load displacement is 1,520 tonnes, and it has a range of 3,500 nautical miles.
Its design incorporates low radar and infrared signatures, and it has a flight deck with access to a hangar.
The unique design of the Cigala Fulgosi's hull and superstructure has reduced its thermal and electromagnetic signatures, giving it stealth capability.
The reduction to the craft's radar signature allows it to carry out a variety of tasks, ranging from surveillance to checking sea waters for illegal immigration, said Commander Lauretti.
amustafa@thenational.ae
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
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Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
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8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
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10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
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Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
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Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
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Mobile phone packages comparison
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
THE SPECS
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar
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The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
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If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
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