Sigonella Air Base at the centre of the Special Operations Air Brigade exercise
The purpose of the exercise was to consolidate interoperability among the participating Units in conducting operations characterised by rapid interventions in geographically distant areas. Specifically, an activity was carried out to consolidate the security of an advanced base in a territory near a crisis zone, from which to conduct operations related to the recovery of Air Force personnel.
Units from the 1st BAOS and the Mobility and Support Forces Command took part in the exercise; both organisations are commanded by Air Division General Roberto Comelli. Specifically, the 46th Air Brigade from Pisa took part in the exercise with a C27J aircraft, the 9th Wing from Grazzanise with two HH-212 helicopters, the 16th Wing from Martina Franca with Air Riflemen units, the 17th Wing from Furbara with Special Forces units, the Air Force Dog Centre in Grosseto with dog-handler units, and the 41st Anti-Submarine Wing in Sigonella with personnel from the attached Force Protection Group. The forces deployed, working in synergy and demonstrating great professionalism, demonstrated the high standard of training achieved. At the conclusion of the exercise, all the representatives of the units involved were present, including Colonels Francesco Saverio Agresti, Leonardo Pontrelli and Roberto Camera. Everyone expressed their satisfaction with the positive outcome of the exercise and with the support provided by the 41st Anti-Submarine Wing. The Commander of Sigonella Air Base and the 41st Anti-Submarine Wing, Colonel Vincenzo Sicuso, made a point of thanking the 1st BAOS for choosing Sigonella for this important national exercise of the Italian Air Force, adding that “Sigonella, aware of its strategic geopolitical position and its consequent role as a “hub” for the Mediterranean, will always be ready to support similar exercises, even if this means channelling its internal resources towards this end, should circumstances so require or should our Armed Forces so request”. The mission of the 41st Wing is to counter underwater and naval threats and to provide long-range search and rescue at sea to protect the main sea lanes, with the aim of keeping potentially hostile underwater and surface naval units under control. In addition to these activities, the Wing monitors merchant traffic in the Mediterranean, as part of “post-11 September” operations against international terrorism, and support for activities aimed at controlling migration flows from the southern sectors of the Mediterranean, ensuring on a daily basis – with the aid of the Breguet 1150 “Atlantic” aircraft in its fleet – daily coverage of the extensive areas of interest, enabling the prompt location of refugees at sea, the alerting of the relevant authorities and, in the event of a maritime accident or shipwreck, ensuring a constant and prompt Search and Rescue (SAR) response.
