THE AM-X HUNT AT SKY TG24

The capabilities and missions of the AM-X fighter aircraft in Afghanistan, as outlined on Monday 17 January on the satellite channel by the Commander of TF ‘Black Cats’. The AM-X aircraft are part of the ‘Black Cats’ Task Group of the Joint Air Task Force (JATF) under the command of Colonel Maurizio D’Andrea and are primarily deployed on aerial reconnaissance missions to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance requirements, including for Regional Command West – the ‘JULIA’ Brigade-based regional command responsible for the ISAF operation in the western part of the country. For the commander of the Black Cats, Major Michele GRASSI, “reaching the milestone of 2,000 flight hours represents an important and significant achievement, made possible thanks to the professionalism and spirit of sacrifice of all the Task Group’s personnel; We have been deployed throughout the theatre for over a year in support of the coalition, and for me this is not only a source of pride but an honour”. “The capabilities of assets such as the AM-X and Predator allow for continuous monitoring of the most important ground operations carried out by soldiers, ensuring that the commander on the ground has adequate situational awareness to prevent or best deal with any threats,” said Colonel Maurizio D’Andrea, Commander of the JATF. The ‘Black Cats’ Task Group, comprising men and women from the 51st Wing at Istrana, the 32nd Wing at Amendola and the 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit (RMV) in Treviso, has worked from the outset to achieve the operational capability that has enabled the Black Cats to reach truly remarkable milestones. Among these, the exceptionally high level of efficiency of the redeployed unit—very close to 100%—must certainly be mentioned. Furthermore, it is worth emphasising that, thanks to the efficiency of the personnel in the JAFT analysis section, it was possible to significantly increase the amount of support provided to the higher command in Kabul over the past year in relation to aerial reconnaissance, with approximately 17,000 photographic products. The Task Group’s pilots, having adapted to the dynamic reality of the Afghan theatre, provided support to the various coalition forces through continuous armed surveillance, ‘covering’ our forces thanks to the privileged vantage point afforded by aerial assets. “Overall, this has been our contribution to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, with a view to achieving the common goal of a country where the people enjoy freedom of movement, effective governance and institutions capable of standing on their own two feet,’ emphasised Major Grassi.
Multimedia contributions Video: Sky TG24 extract from the report of Monday 17/01/2011