The Air Squad Commander at Sigonella Air Base
Accompanied by Air Brigadier Generals Germano Quattrociocchi, Inspector of Naval Aviation, Roberto Comelli, Commander of Mobility and Support Forces, and Claudio Gabellini, Chief of Staff of the Air Squad Command, General Lodovisi upon his arrival in Sigonella was welcomed by the Wing Commander, Colonel Vincenzo Sicuso.
The Air Squad Commander attended an information briefing on the general activities of the 41st Wing, including operations related to the “phase out”of the BR-1150 Atlantic aircraft and those planned for the arrival of the new ATR72 weapon system. Furthermore, he was updated on the progress of the work related to the development programmes that are and will continue to affect Sigonella Airport in the coming months, including the most important one concerning the’Alliance Ground Surveillance NATO's AGS.
After a brief meeting with the senior management of the United States Navy's Naval Air Station in Sigonella, stationed there for over 50 years, the visit continued with an inspection of the various infrastructure of the Stormo, including those undergoing work and, in particular, those of the Aircraft Efficiency Group with its relative hangar where, in collaboration with the 11th Aircraft Maintenance Department, 3rd technical level maintenance is carried out on the Atlantic aircraft.
The Air Squadron Commander also subsequently visited the deployment of the 28th Squadron of the 32nd Wing, recently assigned to Sigonella Airport, and congratulated the personnel of the 41st Wing, those from Amendola, the 3rd Wing of Villafranca and the 3rd Engineering Department of Bari Palese on achieving the full operational capability of the Predator aircraft within the established timeframe.
Before signing the 41st Stormo's visitors' book and exchanging crests, the day could not conclude without a visit to the legendary Atlantic aircraft with its full crew of 13 members, lined up near the aircraft itself.
In leaving the 41st Wing, General Lodovisi expressed his thanks for the hospitality received and appreciation for the professionalism demonstrated by the personnel stationed at the Sicilian Airport, noting that there “…continuous and persistent improvement in understanding and achieving the objectives and expectations of our Armed Forces. Without doubt, this is another brick in the wall of the Italian Air Force's expectations."”.
The Atlantic is a patrol aircraft“all-weather”manufactured in Europe to operate specifically in the maritime environment with high autonomy and range. Research activities are carried out using the onboard radar by 3 specialised operators, called ‘star’, (1 frontal and 2 lateral ones) which are also capable of operating at night with NVG capability (Night Vision Goggles), with the use of flare and smoke devices for daytime position marking.
The mission of the 41st Stormo consists of countering the underwater and naval threat and providing long-range maritime search and rescue services to protect the main sea lanes in order to keep potentially hostile underwater and surface naval units under surveillance. Added to these activities are the monitoring of merchant traffic in the Mediterranean, as part of “post-9/11” operations against international terrorism, and support for activities aimed at controlling migratory flows from the southern sectors of the Mediterranean, guaranteeing on a daily basis – with the aid of the supplied Breguet 1150 “Atlantic” aircraft – the coverage of vast areas of interest and allowing the timely localisation of refugees at sea, the alerting of responsible bodies and simultaneously guaranteeing a constant and prompt S.A.R. intervention in the event of maritime accidents and shipwrecks involving them.
