Thirty five students from Xewkija Primary School, years 3 up to year 6 recently visited the Calypso Project Radar site near Ta’ Sopu Tower situated at the Armed Forces of Malta G – Command Barracks in Nadur, Gozo.

The visit was organised by Capt Marvin Mangion from the Armed Forces of Malta together with Dr Joel Azzopardi from the Physical Oceanography Unit within the University of Malta.

The main scope of the visit was to educate students on how modern technologies such as the High Frequency (HF) Radar can help the national authorities monitor and protect the environment around the Maltese Archipelago.

Dr Azzopardi explained to the students present, how the HF Radar Operates and demonstrated the basic concepts behind the electronics and software controlling the Radar.

Capt Mangion explained to the students how data and information retrieved from the HF Radar is used for military operations conducted by the Armed Forces of Malta. This Radar is also utilized by other Maltese Stake-holders, in carrying out operations such as Search and Rescue and Oil Response.

The Calypso project is partly financed by the EU under the Operational Program Italia – Malta 2007 – 2013, and coordinated by Prof Aldo Drago from the Physical Oceanography Unit of the University of Malta. Together with the 4 Maltese Partners, the University of Malta, Transport Malta, The Armed Forces of Malta and the Civil Protection Department, it also brings 4 partners from Sicily, namely ARPA Sicilia, IAMC-CNR Capo Granitola, Universita degli studi di Palermo and Universita di Catania.

Malta is under continuous threat of oil spills and any hazardous materials that ships carry whilst passing through the Malta – Sicily Channel, which is one of the mostly used channels in world maritime transport. In case of an oil spillage accident within this channel, Malta will be heavily affected.

This project uses top-end technology consisting of 3 High Frequency Radars, of which two have been installed in Malta and Gozo, in Ta’ Barkat at Xaghjra, at the AFM Gozo Barracks in Nadur.

The third radar is expected to be installed in Sicily within the next few weeks. The main aim of the project is to set up a permanent and fully operational HF Radar observing system, capable of recording surface currents in the Malta Channel.

Collected data, combined to numerical models, are intended to primarily support applications to optimise intervention in case of Oil Spill response as well as enhance tools for Search and Rescue used by the Armed Forces of Malta.

Other applications of this data involve marine security, safer navigation, improved meteo-marine forecasts, monitoring of sea conditions in critical areas and better management of the marine space between Malta and Sicily.

This is part of the Italia – Malta Programme – Cohesion Policy 2007- 2013. ‘A sea of opportunities for your future.

This is part-financed by the European Union European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Co-financing rate: 85% EU Funds; 15% National Funds.

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