Press release no. 38/2016 The Air Force's support for earthquake-stricken areas continues. The Air Force, in synergy with the other Armed Forces, continues to support the earthquake-stricken areas with special means and men. A few hours after the new earthquake hit the municipality of Norcia and surrounding areas, an HH-139 helicopter from the 31st Ciampino Wing was already in the air to carry out the first reconnaissance from the air and transport the first Civil Protection assessment teams to the site. The Air Force is in fact engaged, together with the other Armed Forces, with personnel, vehicles and helicopters, in the areas hit by the earthquake to provide the contribution requested by the Civil Protection. Aid and relief to the populations is provided by means and crews specialised in air rescue and ready to intervene throughout the country and in any operational condition, such as the HH-139 ready from the 85th CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) Centre in Cervia. With these assets, it will also be possible to ensure the transport of personnel and materials even at night, thanks to the use of special night visors. The landings and take-offs of the numerous aircraft involved in the emergency in the heli-landing area near Amatrice are safely managed by the mobile control tower and an advanced team belonging to the 3rd Wing at Villafranca (VR). The department has the task and the capabilities to intervene very quickly both at home and abroad and make all the necessary arrangements to put the operational departments of the Armed Force in the best possible conditions. For the reconnaissance from above of the affected areas and the subsequent intervention assessments, the intervention of an AMX from the 51st Istrana Wing was also requested. Thanks to the sophisticated RECCELITE photographic pod normally used in operations for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR), very high-resolution images of the affected centres were made available to the Civil Defence, an essential mapping for defining the most effective intervention methods on the ground. The Armed Force assets and personnel, as well as the various requests for support, are managed by the A.M. situation room, in coordination with the Air Operations Command in Poggio Renatico, the Interforce Operations Command (COI) and the Civil Protection.