THE AIR FORCE
Defending Italy, its territory, its sovereignty and vital interests, ensuring readiness, the operational effectiveness and use of the Air Force within the framework of the national and international security system.
The Air Force operates 24 hours 24, every day of the year, for the security and defense of the country and its citizens, guaranteeing the control and surveillance of the national and Euro-Atlantic and Euro-Mediterranean airspace; protects vital national interests abroad, as part of numerous international operations and missions.
There are four flight departments of the AM - the Stormi - equipped with Eurofighter Typhoon assets used in the Air Defense service: the 4th Wing of Grosseto, the 36th Wing of Gioia del Colle, the 37th Wing of Trapani, and the 51st Wing of Istrana. Added to these are the very modern 5th generation F-35 aircraft, of the 6th Wing of Ghedi and the 32nd Wing of Amendola.
The Air Force also continuously participates in NATO's Air Policing and Enhanced Air Policing operations, bringing, in 2024, its assets in Lithuania and Poland. These activities are also conducted in peacetime and consist of the continuous surveillance and identification of all violations of the integrity of NATO airspace, which can be addressed by taking appropriate actions to combat them. A capability that consists in the integration of the national air defense systems of NATO member countries into a single air defense system.
Air transport is ensured by the aircraft of the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa (C-130J e C-27J) and, mainly on long-haul routes, with the KC-767A aircraft of the 14th Wing of Pratica di Mare, which also meet in-flight refueling needs, with the Italy it represents, at the moment, one of the leading countries in this sector. Added to this are the aircraft of the 31st Wing of Ciampino, who has the responsibility, as well as the transportation of high state officials, of Government and military leaders, to provide aircraft and crews capable of ensuring the transport of patients, organi, medical teams, even in complex weather conditions. Both the assets of the 31st Wing and the 46th Air Brigade, which is also capable of transporting ambulances, they also carry out humanitarian transport missions.
The Air Force ensures the SAR service with its helicopters (Search and Rescue) all the year, 24 hours a day, with crews and helicopters of the 15th Wing ready for take-off at very short notice. In the summer, they also carry out forest firefighting activities (AIB), within the framework of the assets provided by the Defense for this campaign, helping to put out the fires that have broken out in our territory, to protect the population and the environment, in effective synergy with State Agencies and Bodies.
The Air Force is engaged in numerous Operations Outside National Borders (OFCN), contributing to the satisfaction of the objectives set by the political-military authority, such as international stability and strengthening the role of our country. In the 2024 aircraft, flight crews and technical personnel of the Armed Forces have supported the most important military missions abroad, conducted by the Defense General Staff through the Joint Forces Summit Operational Command - including the Balkans, Lebanon, Niger – and have been called to intervene in numerous parts of the world. Also within the OFCN context, the activity of the national air contingent present in the territory continues
Kuwaiti and Iraqi as part of the Prima Parthica – Inherent Resolve operation, launched to combat and fight Daesh since October 2014.
The international community recognizes the Air Force, and therefore to the country, excellent capabilities that allow it to be a leader in sectors such as the fighter component, flight training, air transport, including healthcare in bio-containment, the use of remotely piloted aircraft, Aerospace, Space, advanced logistics management and meteorology.
IL NORTH AMERICA TOUR
A return to North America, for the Frecce Tricolori, waited further 32 age, which brought them back to the most iconic places in Canada and the United States with 9 international airshows e 17 you overlook it.
More than thirty years after the last "Columbus 92" mission (on the occasion of 500 years after the discovery of America), the National Acrobatic Team was busy, from 10 June to early September, nel North America Tour 2024 (NAT24), with the return to the United States and Canada, to confirm herself as an Italian ambassador in the world. An ambitious flight program was carried out, which involved participation in 9 overseas air shows (3 in Canada, as part of the celebrations of 100 years of the Canadian Air Force, and 6 in the United States of America) and the overflights of 17 highly iconic locations with significant Italian communities abroad.
This redeployment activity, thousands of km from Italy, it was also an opportunity to share values, technology, the professionalism and ability to work as a team of the entire Air Force, on a journey of stages between Canada and the United States. It was first and foremost a training mission that involved many of the Air Force's capabilities in planning and conducting complex operations, involving numerous structures and personnel, demonstrating that you are capable of achieving, with personnel and means, in a short time, any destination, also operating and coordinating with other national and international Armed Forces, in every corner of the world, like in Italy.
The Frecce Tricolori North America Tour was also an opportunity to represent Italy in the world, opportunity for the entire "country system" to spread "made in Italy" overseas, also promoting the national industry in places where there are important Italian-Canadian and Italian-American communities.
There are many locations and regions in North America affected by the Tour – from the provinces of Quebec, all’Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, to the American states of California, Wisconsin, Illinois, county nevada, l'Arizona, the state of New York, the virginia, he Maryland, la Pennsylvania, the state of Washington and Rhode Island – a true tricolor embrace that united, under one flag, event participants, giving unforgettable emotions to the many enthusiasts and American citizens who attended the various events. The spectacular images of the performances and overflights over the most famous locations in North America have been seen around the world, with the Frecce Tricolori flying over unique places and landscapes such as the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, Niagara Falls, il Golden Gate Bridge a San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Washington, Oshkoh, on the Canadian cities of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.
The return journey of the personnel and air assets included a first stop at the Bagotville air base, in Quebec, where the tour started at the beginning of June, for reconfiguration operations of PAN aircraft for ocean flight; from there the return continued, after two further Canadian calls on Goose Bay and Iqaluit, along the same stages as the outward journey: Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, Netherlands, until arriving in Italy.
There were many activities on the tour: from meetings with the Italian communities, with cultural associations, with the Italian Consulates, with the public who crowded the exhibition spaces which, from time to time, were set up by the Air Force
Military at the sites of air demonstrations. Unmissable, for both adults and children, the souvenir photo with Roger, the mascot of the Air Force.
DATA
Airshow: 9
You fly over: 17
Spectators: 1.200.000 ca
Events:13 public meetings with local communities
Velivoli: 11 MB-339PAN; 2 C-130J
Frecce Tricolori: personnel and aircraft returned to the Rivolto base, North America Tour concluded
A return to North America, for the Frecce Tricolori, waited further 32 age, which brought them back to the most iconic places in Canada and the United States with 9 international air shows e 17 you overlook it
With the landing of the aircraft on the Rivolto air base, officially ended onNAT – North America Tour, a rich program of performances – 9air show international e 17 overflights – which the Air Force reported, with the Frecce Tricolori, about the most iconic places in Canada and the United States, some never flown over before by the National Acrobatic Team, after 32 years since the tourColumbus of the 1992, on the occasion of the celebrations for the 500 years of the discovery of America.
Left Bagotville at the beginning of June, in Quebec, to celebrate i 100 years of the Royal Canadian Air Force, air force with which the Air Force - one year after its Centenary of 2023 – shares a century-old history made up of common traditions and values, theNorth America Tour represented an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the excellence ofmade in Italy and unit values, passion and professionalism of which the Air Force, through the Frecce Tricolori and its operational departments, she is an ambassador throughout the world, as well as the logistical projection capabilities of personnel and air assets thousands of kilometers from the mother country.
There are many places and regions in North America affected by the Tour - from the provinces of Quebec, all’Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, to the American states of California, Wisconsin, Illinois, county nevada, l'Arizona, the state of New York, the virginia, he Maryland, la Pennsylvania, the state of Washington and Rhode Island – a true tricolor embrace that united the large Italian-Canadian and Italian-American community under a single flag, give away
or unforgettable emotions to the many enthusiasts and American citizens who attended the various events. The spectacular images of the performances and overflights over the most famous locations in North America have been seen around the world, with the Frecce Tricolori flying over unique places and landscapes such as the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, Niagara Falls, il Golden Gate Bridge a San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Washington, on the Canadian cities of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.
The long return journey of the personnel and aircraft included a first stop on the air base ofBagotville, inQuebec, where the tour started at the beginning of June, for reconfiguration operations of PAN aircraft for ocean flight; from there the return continued, after a further stop at the Canadian base in Goose Bay, along the stages in Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, Netherlands, until arriving in Italy, based on Rivolto, headquarters of the 313th Acrobatic Training Group.
“SI am truly proud of what the Armed Forces have achieved with this Tour", said theChief of Staff of the Air Force, General of the Air Force Luca Goretti. “It was a great collective undertaking, of team, an above all organizational effort which saw various operational and logistical structures and departments of the Air Force working with commitment and passion". “Once again– added the Chief of Staff –the National Acrobatic Team gave its best and the enthusiasm we found in all the cities involved in this extraordinary journey in North America is confirmation of this. The NAT24 was a demonstration of the professionalism and capabilities of the men and women of the Air Force and an important showcase for the entire Italian Defense and for the excellence of Made in Italy".The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, present the 21 August together with General D.A. Maurizio Cantiello, Defense and Defense Cooperation Officer in the USA and Canada, at the “NATO Joint-Power Demonstration” air show in Virginia Beach-Norfolk for the 75th anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance, also wanted to underline the importance of being present in this circumstance "to ideally represent the entire Defense and the country and give a signal of strength, compactness and commitment to the Alliance”.
On the occasion, in addition to the Frecce Tricolori, it was possible to admire another piece of Italy and the Air Force: all’air show, indeed, a formation of T38C Talon and T6 Texan II aircraft from the ENJJPT International Flight School also took part (Euro Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training) in Sheppard, where instructor pilots and Air Force personnel train Armed Forces pilots, right on the T6 Texan II aircraft .
“NAT24 was a rather complex activity, which led us to operate at a great distance from the mother country”, underlined the Commander of the redeployment, Colonel Stefano Pietropaoli. “During the tour we touched on approx 30 locations in North America – between air shows, overflights and technical stops - and all this was possible thanks to the commitment of various departments and operational entities of the Air Force, to the invaluable support of the Italian Embassy and Consular Offices and to the team work that has made, in fact, the department is autonomous for the entire duration of the tour: from flight operations, to logistics, to maintenance, up to administrative support, but also the communication aspects, health and those related to safety in the workplace. In particular, two C-130Js of the 46th Pisa Air Brigade ensured the transport of materials and personnel for the entire tour and the S.A.R.. oceanic, while you trim KC-767, G550 and P-72 were engaged in support of outbound and return ocean trails”.
“Leading the Frecce Tricolori on this historic occasion”, said theT.Col. Massimiliano Salvatore, Commander of the 313th Acrobatic Training Group PAN, “is it was an indescribable experience, which I experienced as a great responsibility and with authentic pride. We crossed the Atlantic Ocean, reached the Pacific coast by flying to California, flying over the most iconic places of an entire continent and showing it to the public, and in particular to the many Italians and Italian-Americans who came, the acrobatic traditions that have made the Frecce Tricolori unique in the world for over sixty years. All this would not have been possible without itforthe collective effort of the entire Department and the fundamental support components of our Air Force. We have written another memorable page for the 313th Acrobatic Training Group and I couldn't be more proud of what each of my men achieved".
There were many activities on the tour: from meetings with the Italian communities, with cultural associations, with the Italian Consulates, with the public who crowded the exhibition spaces which, from time to time, they were set up by the Air Force on the sites of air demonstrations. Unmissable, for both adults and children, the souvenir photo with Roger, the mascot of the Air Force. u
51° FLOCK “FERRUCCIO SERAFINI”
The event is held at the Istrana base, headquarters of the 51st Wing of the Air Force, department responsible for air interdiction and air defense activities with its Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft
The 51st Wing of the Air Force was established on 1 October 1939 on Ciampino Sud airport. After the Second World War, the department was reconstituted first at Lecce airport and then at Treviso airport. February 1st 1953 the 51st Wing becomes the 51st Air Brigade and begins operating from Istrana from 1954. Over the years it has been equipped with the F-104S, with the AMX and today operates with the Eurofighter Typhoon. From 1999 to this day, with the advent of Operations Outside National Borders, the Wing contributed with its men and women to support the various operational theaters such as: the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Albania, l’Iraq, l’Afghanistan, Somalia, the United Arab Emirates and Libya.
Since January 2017 a pair of Eurofighter Typhoons are deployed at the Treviso airport for the activation of an air defense alarm cell ensured in rotation by aircraft of the 4th Wing of Grosseto, of the 36th Wing of Gioia del Colle and of the 37th Wing of Trapani Birgi, while from 12 September 2019 the wing once again formally becomes part of the national air defense. The 132nd Group, indeed, operated simultaneously with 2 flight lines: the Eurofighter one, for national air defense, and the AMX for tactical reconnaissance, Close Air Support operations (C.A.S.) and the ability of air-to-ground attack. The 4 April 2024, with an official ceremony, the operational line of the AMX aircraft closes. The 51st Wing was the first organization to have received the line and the last to have used it for all 35 years of operational life.
The Department Flag is decorated with a Gold Medal (1952) and Silver Medal (1952) to Military Valor and two "Knight" Crosses of the Military Order of Italy (2015 and 2019).
Source, text and images: Air force
