The bilateral exercise took place on 18 November. Air Policing Exercise (Apex) Foxtrot, a’joint training exercise between the Italian Air Force and the’Army of Air and Space French, aimed at training personnel and Command and Control centres in the coordinated management of complex air defence scenarios.
The exercise, directed by Air Operations Planning and Control Centre (CAPCODAFrench and conducted in collaboration with the Air and Space Operations Command (COA) in Poggio Renatico, has Simulated the management of a hijacked civil flight – a so-called scenario “Renegade”– in order to test the operational readiness and cross-border cooperation capabilities between the two countries.
During the activity, settings Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Italians and French – respectively Eurofighter Typhoon of the 4th Wing of Grosseto e French Rafale C – they carried out interception and escort missions under the control of the Reporting and Control Centres in French territory and subsequently of the 22nd Integrated Missile Air Defence Group (22nd Gr. DAMI), once they enter Italian airspace. Furthermore, during the exercise, the formations were in constant coordination with the French and Italian Air Traffic Control centres (Milan SCCAM and Rome SCCAM).
The’aim The primary aim of the exercise was to Improve the sharing of tactical information (SSituational awarenessand of consolidate the operating procedures of Handover among national Command and Control units, ensuring full interoperability according standard NATO.
All the activities took place in the full compliance with civil air traffic safety regulations, with communications handled on dedicated military networks and under the supervision of the respective national operational authorities.
The Air Force confirms, including through international training activities of this kind, its constant commitment to ensuring the security and defence of national airspace and the Atlantic Alliance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The 22nd DAMI Group in Licola and the’11th DAMI Group in Poggio Renatico, there are the two operational units of the Air Force (AM), dependent on the Aerospace Control Brigade (BCA) of the Air Operations Command (COA), through the Integrated Air and Missile Defence (DAMI) Department, including in the command and control chain of National and NATO Air Defence with airborne surveillance, identification and control functions 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, seamlessly.
