From 16 to 18 April, the Italian Air Force participated in the sixth edition of the Italian Concrete Days (GIC), the benchmark exhibition in the European landscape for concrete and construction technologies pavement, which is held at the Piacenza Expo exhibition centre.
The Armed Forces was present with a dedicated exhibition stand, highlighting the connection between Cutting-edge design capability e Specialist technologies employed in the construction and maintenance of airport pavements.
Flight infrastructure, built by the technical personnel of Field Genius Groups del Infrastructure Services (Logistics Command), represent a continuous engineering challenge. Innovation in the field of technologies for the construction of structures in Concrete is, in fact, a determining factor for improving the efficiency and quality of pavements and the operational infrastructure of the Armed Forces.
At the stand, the equipment was presented for the high-yield relief, fundamental tools for mapping track conditions and programming predictive maintenance. The “Testing Laboratory for Infrastructure of the 2nd Air Force Engineers” Department, Ciampino, ..., a leading centre for the validation of materials and structural performance, showcased its capabilities in airport certification monitoring and support, generating considerable interest among visitors.
Friday, 17th April, saw the participation of the Defence Engineering and Air Force hierarchies in a series of high-profile technical seminars. Inspector General Mario Sciandra, Director General of Geniodife, opened the proceedings with a speech on consolidating standards of excellence in procurement processes for Defence works. This was followed by the Brigadier General Paolo Rizzetto, Head of the Infrastructure Service, has delved into the topic of safety on construction sites and its innovative management through integration with Artificial Intelligence and BIM (Building Information Modelling).
The Air Force then contributed with specific interventions relating for employment of cutting-edge materials and construction technologies, orientated towards reduction in site times and to the increase of structural durability. The conference continued with other technical presentations that confirmed the push towards digitalisation, including an automated system for monitoring airport pavements based on the use of drones and AI algorithms for automatic defect recognition.
Engagement in the GIC 2026 confirm the Air Force's commitment in the field of’technological innovation, delivers complex logistical challenges, transforming them into engineering development opportunities for the entire country.
