European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 20, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes Friday March 20, 1992 shipshape skills against subs urged by Gary Miller Mediterranean Bureau Nas Simonella Sicily soviet submarines in the Mediterranean Are a thing of the past and so far no new underwater threat has replaced them. But nato needs to continue flexing its anti submarine warfare muscle because there Are plenty of potential threats according to the alliances senior naval commander in Southern Europe. A we have to be prepared. We have to think in the Long term a italian adm. Carlo Alberto Vandini explained adding that a a threat no longer exists in the Short term but there Are nations with tremendous potential to be a threat in the  Vandini made his remarks at a news conference at Nas Simonella on wednesday the last Day of dog fish 92, a nato exercise designed to test anti submarine forces. A the purpose of our training is to refine and deepen our ability to operate together our interoperability and to verify the Validity of the doctrine we Are applying a Vandini said of the exercise which has Oliver been held annually for More than 20 years. This years dog fish exercise began March 6 and involved 11 submarines and 11 aircraft from eight nations operating cast of Sicily in the ionian sea. Aircraft participating in the exercise included a variety of maritime patrol planes american and dutch p-3c Orion British nimrods and French at Antiques. On tuesday Vandini Rode in an american Orion carrying journalists from Rome sgt v a amps Gary Miller . Navy it Matthew Van de water of patrol so 23 co pilots a p-3c Orion maritime patrol aircraft during exercise dog fish 92. To Sicily. On the Way to Simonella the aircraft visited the dog fish training area allowing the Media to record a dutch Orion flying past a surfaced submarine. Although nato countries use different types of maritime aircraft to Hunt submarines the planes submarine detection systems Are completely Able to operate together Vandini explained. During the Media flight maritime air forces Mediterranean commander . Navy rear adm. Daniel t. Oliver also emphasized the continued need for the allies to practice their sub Hunting skills. He and Vandini would not offer specific examples of nations that might use submarines against the Alliance. But they emphasized the threat that such vessels which can sink navies and de liver terrorists posed in the wrong hands. A a submarine can be a very dangerous weapon in the hands of anybody who has the Money to buy it and the will to use it a Oliver said at the news conference. Countries such As the nato members that want to provide for their Mutual Security Oliver said a have to continue to develop and hone our skills where risks May turn into