The Turbine V Course visits Kuwait and the People’s Republic of China Pozzuoli, October 17, 2018 – A delegation of the Air Academy, composed of the Commander, Brigadier General Enrico DEGNI, 83 Aspirants of the Turbine V Course, 6 Sublieutenants of the Sparviero V Course and 7 chaperones, participated in the annual study trip abroad, visiting the Emirate of Kuwait and the People’s Republic of China. The trip, conducted from October 6 to 13, 2018 was an unparalleled opportunity for professional, cultural and personal enrichment and allowed to consolidate the partnership relations with the visited nations. The delegation, which departed from Naples Capodichino Airport with an 8th Group KC-767 aircraft of the 14th Wing during its stay in Kuwait, visited the Al Salem Air Task Force and in particular the helicopters of the Kuwait Air Force (Apache, Puma and Gazelle) as well as the Arab Fenice Group and the Italian Integrated Intelligence Cell – I2MEC (Italian Integrated Multisensor Exploitation Cell), employed to meet the needs for collection, analysis, processing, fusion and dissemination of the products collected from the platforms in flight. Particularly appreciated were the visits to the aircraft deployed at Al Jaber base (AMX, F16 and the USAF V-22 Osprey). A delegation with General DEGNI as head was received, on two different occasions, by Ambassador Giuseppe SCOGNAMIGLIO and the Chief of the Kuwait Air Force, Maj. Gen. Adnan AL FADHLI. The journey continued to the People’s Republic of China, where the delegation was welcomed by the Military Attaché for Defense, Gen. B. Stefano SCANU, and by Ambassador Ettore Sequi, who gave his personal welcome to the Sparviero V Course. Highlights of the trip were the visit to the Temple of the Lamas, the Temple of Heaven, the Pearl Market, the Summer Palace, the Silk Market, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Particularly interesting was the visit to the PLA Air Force Command College, during which the Chinese leadership greatly appreciated the training path followed by the future Officers of the Italian Air Force. Finally, a stop of significant interest was the Great Wall of China, described as the First Wonder of the World. The educational trip is an integral part of the training and cultural growth process of young academics. It develops awareness of the reality of operational theaters outside national borders in which young Officers will find themselves in the near future operating beyond that, and also prompts reflection on the complexity of the international security context and on the different approaches to the topic in different and challenging contexts, helping to develop critical thinking and a strategic approach. The Air Academy is subordinate to the Command of the Schools of the Air Force/3rd Air Region. It is a military institution of higher education with university status that has the task of providing for the recruitment and training of young people who aspire to become officers of the Air Force in active duty. By attending the regular courses of the Academy, one can become a lieutenant junior grade in the Air Force, in the role of a normal Navigator (pilot) and in the Normal Role of Weapons, of the Corps of the Air Engineering, of the Corps of the Commissariat of Aeronautics and of the Air Medical Corps.
