The Army and Air Force are conducting joint training at the 2nd Wing’s airfield in Rivolto (UD) The “Red Baron” exercise has come to an end; from 11 to 13 September, it involved men and women from the Italian Air Force’s 2nd Wing and the 4th Alpine Parachute Regiment “Ranger” in Verona, training together to pool their respective experience and expertise with the aim of continually enhancing and improving them. Reconnaissance and assault operations were carried out on a number of sensitive targets located within the airport (SPADA missile batteries defended by Force Protection personnel from the 2nd Wing) were carried out by Army personnel, both via airdrops from C27J aircraft of the 46th Air Brigade in Pisa and from NH90 helicopters of the 3rd Special Operations Regiment “Aldebaran” of the Viterbo Army, and by fast-rope descent from the same helicopters approaching at low altitude, formed the key elements of the exercise scenario. Within the exercise context, the personnel of the SPADA system itself also played a fundamental role, carrying out air defence simulations against both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft transporting the “hostile forces”. The exercise, which from the very early planning stages showed particular consideration for the local population – having been organised with every possible measure taken to minimise any potential disruption as much as possible – was conducted on multiple levels and proved to be a complex undertaking, not least due to the use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG) during night-time hours. With the full achievement of the set objectives, the foundations have thus been laid for further joint activities between the two units in the future. The 2nd Wing reports to the Air Force Air Group Command via the Combat Forces Command, based in Milan; in addition to providing daily support to the activities of the 313th Aerobatic Training Group “Frecce Tricolori”, it is the operational unit designated as the Armed Forces“ missile centre, responsible for the training and operational readiness of the personnel and equipment of the Italian Air Force’s ”SPADA” missile batteries.
