(ANSA) - UDINE, 12 NOV - The multinational military exercise Clever Ferret 26 has come to an end at the Postojna training area in Slovenia after two weeks of operations. The exercise involved around 800 troops from the Italian Julia Alpine Brigade and other member nations of the Multinational Land Force (Slovenia and Hungary), with Albania as an observer. The training exercises, carried out in a realistic environment, improved integration between the units and provided an opportunity to test new technological and doctrinal solutions. As part of the exercise, the units conducted live-fire and simulated combat against opposing forces in a fully integrated, multi-domain, mountainous environment using the simulation systems. The exercise included operational planning, tactical employment, command and control, and mutual support. This allowed the co-ordination of indirect fire from mortars and howitzers with the movement of the light infantry and the heavy armor on the ground. A very clear example of the increasing role of UAVs in an operational environment. The final day of the exercise was attended by the Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Major General Boštian Močnik; the Commander of the Italian Alpine Troops, Major General Alberto Vezzoli; the Commander of the Julia Alpine Brigade, Brigadier General Francesco Suma; and the Deputy Commander of the Albanian Land Forces, Brigadier General Vehbije Kuti. 'Multinational cooperation is absolutely a cornerstone of security and stability in the Balkans. It's about sharing procedures, sharing experience, sharing capability in order to build trust and enhance our interoperability, our interchangeability, our interconnectivity so that we can all respond in a coordinated fashion,' said Suma. Clever Ferret 2026 is part of nearly 30 years of military co-operation between Italy, Slovenia and Hungary (established in 1998 with a permanent multinational HQ in Udine) to support regional stability and Euro-Atlantic security. (ANSA).