The ceremony was presided over by Colonel Riccardo Rinaldi. In his farewell address, the outgoing Commander thanked the personnel of the Operational Group and all those who provided support for the missions and exercises undertaken, both at home and abroad. He also wished to emphasize the importance of the professionalism, dedication, and sense of duty that have driven the personnel of the 17th Special Forces Wing, values that proved decisive in achieving the set objectives.
The outgoing Commander finally wished the best of luck to his successor who, over the past year, held the position of Chief of Operations of the same Wing.
The operations conducted by the 17th Special Forces Wing fall under “Special Operations” and consist of direct actions against strategic targets, special reconnaissance, and military assistance to the armed forces of other countries, the latter activity currently being carried out in Afghanistan.
Furthermore, the Air Force Commandos specialise in conducting operations with a strong aeronautical focus, such as search and rescue missions for downed pilots in hostile territory, known as Combat Search And Rescue (C/SAR) operations, laser designation of targets using the targeting system called Ground Laser Target Designator (GLTD), the identification and preparation of improvised landing strips for air assets, and the guidance of air assets in air-tactical operations (Combat Controller).
