The three-month period of defence of the Italian Support Military Base in Djibouti has ended. The Air Riflemen are returning to the 16th Wing in Martina Franca (TA). The 16th Wing descends from the 6th Aircraft Group, which distinguished itself in the Battle of Istrana in 1917. Today, it is a combat unit of the Air Force Command, under the Support and Special Forces Command, with force protection duties.
Since 2004, it has operated in 36 different international missions, in 16 different operational theatres worldwide, accumulating over 33,000 flight hours, of which 21,000 were for the safety of Air Force aircraft and those on board.
It is the Air Riflemen Department, which from August 2005 to December 2014 was present in Afghanistan to ensure the protection of the Herat Base. On April 5, 2015, the War Flag of the 16th “Force Protection” Wing was decorated with a Silver Medal of Aeronautic Valor by the President of the Republic.
