Friday 8th April, at Pratica di Mare Airport, the course conclusion ceremony was held in the presence of the Airport Commander, Gen.B.A. Quattrociocchi. The course, organised by the Air Squad Command, is now in its 11th edition and was delivered by qualified Italian Air Force instructors. Throughout its duration, it was supervised by instructor personnel from the Training, Standardisation, and Study Section of the Central Operational Security Unit (NOCS) of the State Police.
The collaboration between Police forces and expert personnel from the Airport Command has led to the development of specific training activities, tailored to the needs of the Air Force, and aimed at Force Protection personnel. The activities, predominantly practical, took place at the Force Protection Group of the Pratica di Mare Airport Command, using training facilities present on the airport grounds suitable for simulating urban combat and special interventions, while the live firing exercise was carried out at the shooting range of the 17th ‘Incursori’ Wing in Furbara (Rome). During the certificate award ceremony, the Airport Commander, Air Brigadier General Roberto Quattrociocchi, highlighted how “training constitutes an important and indispensable formative moment for all those who, on a daily basis, carry out their difficult task with passion and undeniable spirit of sacrifice”. The “Mario De Bernardi” military airport, with its 830 hectares, is one of the largest military airports in Europe. Personnel belonging to the four Armed Forces, the State Police, and the Guardia di Finanza operate there. It is home to the Flight Experimental Centre, the 14th ’S. Sartoff‘ Wing, the 85th CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) Centre, the Electronic Warfare Technical Operations Support Unit (ReSTOGE), the Command and Control Systems Innovation Management Unit, the Airspace Control Training Unit (RACSA), the 6th Helicopter Maintenance Unit (RME), the National Centre for Meteorology and Aeronautics Climatology (CNMCA), the Centre for Aeronautical Geotopographical Information (CIGA), and the Joint Satellite Remote Sensing Centre (CITS).
