The Air Force Celebrates 91 Years

The ceremony took place at Pratica di Mare airport, in the presence of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff. The ceremony began with the reading of the good wishes message sent by the Head of State. President Napolitano recalled that, thanks to its highly advanced technological means and the high professionalism of its personnel, the Air Force ensures the defence of Italian and European airspace and guarantees protection and support to contingents operating in stabilisation and peacekeeping missions. General Preziosa, during his speech, highlighted that “The Aeronautica Militare will always be there; it was there yesterday, it is there today, and it will be there tomorrow with the Joint spirit. The security challenge has not yet been won.” – stressed Preziosa – “and I am certain that the White Paper on National Security will be able to set out clear lines on what the future of the defence system will be“The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, therefore, recalled that the Air Force is “The country's meteorology, the martyrs of Kindu in the 60s, Bellini and Cocciolone's flight, missions in Bosnian, Kosovan, Libyan skies, [...] emergency flights ready for the Philippines, [...] interceptors scrambled on the occasion of the hijacked Ethiopian plane, scrambled in the early morning while we could sleep soundly. The Air Force is all this, but it is also Parmitano in the orbiting station and the rescue helicopters, the angels of the sky that we define with the acronym SAR, the Flag of the 46th Air Brigade and their crews with their transport and today's recognition from the Red Cross and the awards given to personnel who have particularly distinguished themselves both in operations and in inventing something for the safety of men on the ground.“The Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Binelli Mantelli, in turn highlighted that:“The Armed Forces are not afraid to play their part in restoring public finances; they have been doing so for some time. This involves cutting 50,000 military and civilian posts over 10 years and reducing the number of senior officers – that is, generals – by 30%. This is a rationalisation of expenditure that no other government has undertaken.“. The Minister of Defence, Pinotti, stated in her speech that “The men and women of the Air Force have built a heritage of ideals and values, which today belong to every Italian.. All Italians appreciate them.” – added the Minister –“that they can count on the extraordinary and tireless commitment of all Air Force personnel in supporting and upholding the prestige of the country and our Armed Forces“. The Minister finally recalled that “in a world of constant change, the biggest challenge is to adapt the means, forces, and cultural approach to face future scenarios. We also need to involve public opinion” “– concluded the Minister –"so that so that it is understood that a balanced Armed Force responds to a security system“.
On the occasion, the Italian Red Cross awarded the Gold Medal of Merit to the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa, a unit specialising in air transport, which has always been at the forefront of emergencies and in supporting populations in difficulty: from the first mission for the UN in Congo in 1961, marked by the tragic massacre of our airmen in Kindu, to the latest deployment in the Philippines for the terrible Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Asian country last November. Four aeronautical valour awards were also presented to personnel from operational units of the Armed Force. Message from the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano Message from the Minister of Defence, Senator Roberta Pinotti Message from the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Luigi Binelli Mantelli Message from the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Force General Pasquale Preziosa Speech by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Force General Pasquale Preziosa