On Thursday 13 September, Brigadier General Gianluca Ercolani, Commander of the Italian Air Operation Center (IT-AOC) of the COA, Poggio Renatico, visited the Air Force Coordination and Control Service (SCCAM) of Brindisi. Welcomed by the Commander of the Air Force Coordination and Control Department (RSCCAM) at Ciampino and the Head of the SCCAM Brindisi, General Ercolani spent a full day working with the Agency’s staff, initially attending the operational briefing, the initial moment of the daily activities. He then visited the Operations Room, the heart of the Authority, which has recently been modernized in terms of equipment and operating consoles, personally observing the model of direct civil-military coordination, indispensable both for achieving the objectives set by the Armed Forces in the field of institutional air operations and military training activities, and for the safety of air navigation for all flights in national airspace. The visit continued with a presentation briefing on the Authority’s activities, followed by a meeting with the Staff. On this occasion, the Commander of the IT-AOC wished to highlight the importance of the operations carried out daily by the women and men of the Coordination and Control Services, urging them to remain aware and proud of the work they perform, which is fundamental to the entire country. He also emphasized that in this particular historical moment, “every element of the Armed Forces represents a precious asset to be safeguarded”. The Coordination and Control Services of the Air Force, co-located at the adjacent ENAV Control Centers, are responsible for managing operational air traffic and the associated airspace, as well as collecting and transmitting to the relevant authorities the information necessary for fulfilling the duty of surveillance of the national airspace. In the national structure of the area’s navigation services, characterized by a high degree of civil-military collaboration, qualified military personnel are employed at the SCCAM as air traffic controllers, at the highest level of national qualification and holding a Community license.
