The total number of “scrambles” has risen to 25, with 11 alarm take-offs in the last two weeks, for the Eurofighter aircraft of TFA 4th Wing engaged in the NATO Air Policing mission in
Malbork (Poland)
A particularly intense period involving a great deal of work for the Task Force Air (TFA) 4th Wing of the Italian Air Force deployed at Malbork air base in Poland: in the last two weeks alone, there have been 11 scramble take-offs, bringing the total to 25 since the Eurofighter aircraft were deployed to Poland to defend the eastern flank of the Atlantic Alliance as part of the NATO enhanced Air Policing mission.
A period of intense activity for the deployed personnel, during which Italy and the other NATO nations engaged in Air Policing missions are working in unison to demonstrate NATO's deterrence capability. Specifically, the Task Force Air 4th Wing has carried out over 500 flight hours with Eurofighter aircraft, encompassing training activities and live scrambles, to ensure air defence in the Baltic region.
In fact, since the first days of June, Eurofighter jets have scrambled over the Baltic Sea to intercept various types of non-NATO military aircraft that were failing to comply with international aviation rules, in order to prevent potential violations of Alliance airspace.
The use of the Gulfstream E-550A CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) aircraft, as an integral part of the Task Force Air and deployed for the first time to Poland since last May, has enabled Italy – the only NATO country to have this aircraft in service – to provide a fundamental contribution to the safety of air operations and to play a strategic role within the Atlantic Alliance for the defence of airspace.
The Task Force Air 4th Wing uses four Eurofighter (F-2000) aircraft from four Air Defence Wings of the Italian Air Force: the 4th Wing of Grosseto, the 36th Wing of Gioia del Colle, the 37th Wing of Trapani and the 51st Wing of Istrana, as well as the E-550A CAEW from the 14th Wing of Pratica di Mare. Thanks to these aircraft, it is possible to guarantee the scramble and interception of any suspicious trace detected by radars within a few minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Italian contingent, placed under the direct national command of COVI (Joint Operations Headquarters), is made up of Italian Air Force women and men from the Flight Groups and technical and logistical personnel, deployed at Malbork Krolewo airport, who operate alongside the Polish Air Force to protect the north-eastern flank of the Atlantic Alliance. This is the second time that an Italian contingent has been deployed to Poland in enhanced Air Policing (eAP) operations.
