Today, Wednesday 19th March, at the Furbara military airport, home of the 17th Attack Wing and of the 1st Special Operations Air Brigade, the traditional ceremony of’Parachuting of the 9th Italian Air Force Commando Course (BIAM). An event rich in meaning for those who have earned the right to officially join the Italian Air Force special forces.
At the ceremony, presided over by Undersecretary of State for Defence, the Honourable Matteo Perego di Cremnago, took part Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Squadrone General Luca Goretti, Admiral Squadron Paolo Pezzutti, Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (COFS), Air Force Squadron General Giandomenico Taricco, Commander of the Rome Air Force Command, Army Squadron General Riccardo Rinaldi, Head of the Weapons Branch, Air Force Brigadier General Diego Sismondini, Commander of the 1st Air Brigade for Special Operations, and numerous civilian and military authorities, including representatives from other Special Forces units of the Army, Navy, and Carabinieri.
The stars of the show were the participants of the 9th BIAM course, who, after an extremely selective training program, received the symbols of their new operational identity: the Sand-coloured shell, the legacy of the Arditi Distruttori of the Royal Air Force (ADRA) battalion, the first special forces unit of the Air Force, born in 1942 in Tarquinia and distinguished for its daring actions against strategic targets during the Second World War, and the Arditi dagger, an emblem of offensive capability and operational readiness, as well as the badge of qualification, a sign of entry into the operational world of special forces.
This last one encapsulates the very essence of the 17th Wing in its iconography: the parachute represents the unit's airborne nature, the globe symbolises its ability to operate anywhere in the world, the dagger identifies the combat component, while the eagle's wings sanction its belonging to the Air Force.
In his speech, the Colonel Michele Anelli, Commander of the 17th Wing, It was highlighted how the path to becoming a Commando is not just a physical challenge, but also psychological, testing one's limits, overcoming one's fears and demonstrating extraordinary courage and resilience. Commandos represent an elite and a family of professionals who have always distinguished themselves by their spirit of sacrifice, their dedication to service and their unwavering commitment to the values of the Homeland.
It Chief of Staff of the Air Force Goretti During his speech, addressing the new commandos, he stressed: “In a geopolitical context dominated by uncertainty and crisis situations in various parts of the world with differing characteristics and specificities, you are required to be available without limitation and in situations of particular difficulty, to ensure functions of the highest level with an aeronautical connotation which constitute a relevant, determining, and indispensable component of defence, not for quantity but for quality, specificity, and function. He then continued by saying: “In this light, today's beret ceremony is not a repetitive and irrelevant rite, but represents the tangible expression of the values that have always characterised all personnel in blue: courage, loyalty, sacrifice, high specialist skills, and a deep sense of duty. Every beret and every dagger that we have just handed over carries all of this with it.”
“Today we are not simply celebrating the end of a highly formative training course.”, has stressed the Under-secretary during his speech, “but the culmination of a journey of sacrifice, discipline, and absolute dedication. After long months of gruelling training, these men officially become part of the elite of the Air Force Special Forces, ready to face the most complex challenges with determination and skill. In today's world, defence is not just a matter of strength, but above all preparation, strategic vision, and adaptability to constantly changing scenarios. The Italian Armed Forces stand out for their ability to operate rapidly and effectively in increasingly complex contexts, guaranteeing defence and security both on national soil and in international operational theatres.”
It 17th Wing It is not just an operational department, but a reality deeply rooted in the territory, which thrives on tradition and looks to the future with determination.
As proof of the strong synergy between the department and the local area, the mayors and representatives of the cities of Cerveteri, Ladispoli and Santa Marinella were also present at the ceremony.
The 17th Raiders Wing has a clear mission: to select, train, and equip raiders to tackle the most complex challenges in high-risk operational contexts. Raiders are trained to conduct missions of: Special Reconnaissance (special reconnaissance); Direct Action (direct action); Military Assistance Military assistance; Hostage Rescue Operations (hostage release operations); Counter Terrorism operations (counter-terrorism operations); Strategic Reconnaissance strategic reconnaissance.
The 17th Wing is tasked with selecting, forming, training and preparing the Air Force Special Forces (FS), i.e. AM commandos, for operational deployment; ensuring the constant availability of operational detachments ready for deployment for Special Operations (OS) conducted both within the single service remit, and under the auspices of the Joint Special Operations Command (COFS); ensuring commandos capable of carrying out all missions common to other Special Forces, with whom they must be completely interchangeable, integrable and interoperable, with an additional specific, fundamental and innovative task, that of integrating and synchronising air power with Special Operations through the orchestration of air and surface forces to provide synergistic effects on a common objective or series of objectives in accordance with the Special Operations Air to Land Integration (SOALI) doctrine.
The 17th Raiders Wing depends on the 1st Air Brigade, which in turn depends on the Air Squad Command-1st Air Region of Milan.
