For more than half a century, Air Force personnel and resources have been engaged all over the globe, bringing relief in the event of wars or natural disasters and contributing to the resolution of crisis situations. These are missions in distant lands, which require enormous efforts from the personnel of the Air Force, often operating in areas at risk. Some of these missions were paid for with the ultimate sacrifice, but this painful loss of young military in “out of area” operations has allowed thousands of other lives to be saved.
Each nation ensures the defence of the airspace of competence via its own assets. Where, however, the Allied nation does not have its own aforementioned Air Defence capabilities, it can resort to collaboration with other NATO nations. In this context, Italy participates in operations related to air policing, guaranteeing its assets in support of states such as: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania, Iceland, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, Slovenia and Poland.
The Air Force’s presence in Kuwait began in 2014 when the Joint Operations Command ordered the redeployment of a KC-767A at Al Mubarak (Kuwait) military airport to establish the initial core of Task Force Air Kuwait. Currently, the Italian National Contingent Command Air (IT NCC AIR) operates in Kuwait, ensuring the synergistic and coordinated deployment of KC 767A, Eurofighter and Predator air assets. Task Force Air (TFA) meets the in-flight refuelling needs of coalition assets with its KC 767A. TFA Kuwait is tasked with contributing to the definition of the coalition’s situational awareness via its Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Eurofighter and Predator assets. The Air Force’s presence in Kuwait is positioned within the framework of the multinational Operation against ISIS called “Inherent Resolve”.
Following the changed security situation along the Alliance’s south-eastern border and the military reinforcement of various assets in the Eastern Mediterranean, NATO has approved (since 2014) some reassurance measures in favour of the Allies of the Eastern Flank (Assurance Measures) and Turkey (Tailored Assurance Measures for Turkey). In light of these needs, in 2020 the Italian Air Force continued to provide its operational contribution in the following areas:
LEBANON, ITALIAN BILATERAL MISSION (MIBIL)
The Italian Bilateral Mission in Lebanon (MIBIL), active since 2015, coordinates and conducts training and educational activities in favour of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). In 2020, the Italian Air Force renewed its commitment to LAF in the field of Air Traffic Control, Personnel Recovery and Flight Safety.
NIGER, ITALIAN SUPPORT MISSION (MISIN)
Since the beginning of 2018, the Italian Air Force has deployed Italian military in Niger, in order to define local needs for the generation of an initial aeronautical capacity, as well as for the training of Nigerian paratroopers with C-130J and C-27J aircraft.
EUNAVFORMED (OP. IRINI)
The Italian Air Force participates in Operation IRINI (previously Operation Sophia), formally activated by the EU on 31st March 2020, which aims to monitor compliance with the embargo of arms to Libya, on the high seas, as well as to contribute to countering the phenomenon of migratory crises and trafficking of human beings in the central-southern Mediterranean.
LIBYA, ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT MISSION (MIASIT)
The Italian Air Force provides an important contribution to the management and contrast of migratory flows towards Italy and Europe, as well as to the complex and articulated process of stabilisation and security of Libya and, more widely, of the entire Southern flank.
The “Safe Roads” Operation began on 4th August 2008, in compliance with law no.125 of 24th July 2008, which concerned itself with the possibility of employing military personnel for specific and exceptional crime prevention needs in cities or densely populated areas. The personnel of the Armed Forces are at the disposition of Prefects, who may employ them in the surveillance of sites and occurrences of interest, as well as in reconnaissance and the patrolling of streets together with the police force.
By specific government decisions, but still within the same operation, additional tasks related to special security needs of the territory were assigned. These include: the control and security of the central area of the city of L’Aquila affected by the 2009 earthquake, the security of the high-speed train (TAV) construction sites in Turin and Val Susa, the intervention in Campania to patrol and guard the areas of the so-called “land of fires” to prevent and suppress environmental crimes, as well as effectively contributing to the security and surveillance of EXPO 2015 in Milan.
Finally, on the occasion of the Jubilee of Mercy, more than 1,500 military personnel were deployed throughout the country (though mainly in Rome) to ensure the security of the Jubilee sites. This included a dedicated reinforcement of the Air Defence by the Air Force. In relation to the exceptional flows of migrants arriving on Italian shores, it also operates surveillance and security activities at Reception Centres, and at the storage areas of wrecks and boats used in the illicit activities of migrant transportation.
The military asset operates in a sea area of about 160,000 square kilometres, located in the central Mediterranean and overlooking the Libyan coast. Both naval units and the Predator aircraft of the Italian Air Force are assigned to it. The mission is, in short, the transfer to sea of what is done on the national territory by the Armed Forces in relation to the “Safe Roads” operation.
