Air Squad General Luca Goretti has greeted the Italian National Contingent Command Air in Kuwait
II Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Force General Luca Goretti, concluded an official three-day visit to on Monday 17th July Kuwait, during which he met Italian diplomatic authorities, the leadership of Kuwaiti Defence and the military personnel of the Italian contingent stationed in the country.
Welcomed upon arrival at the Ali Al Salem air base by the Commander of the Italian National Contingent Air and Task Force Air – Kuwait (IT NCC AIR / TFA-K), Colonel Tommaso Tuccillo, and by the Military Attaché in Kuwait, Colonel Salvatore Ferrara, following an update on the operational situation in the area, the General was able to directly appreciate the capability output that the men and women of the Italian Air Force, in synergy with colleagues from the other Armed Forces and partner nations, express daily in the various missions that see Italian assets playing a primary and ever-increasing role in the area.
Addressing the personnel of the Contingent, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force said he was particularly proud of the capabilities and professionalism demonstrated by his personnel in an operational theatre. Indeed, the deployment, which has always demonstrated a wide range of capabilities, has recently seen a steady development in its operational employment in the fight against DAESH; an operational growth that likewise requires an adequate and constant logistical expansion.
The Italian Air Force, in particular, contributes to the mission through various aircraft assets assigned to the different Task Groups, such as the Task Group Typhoon – with modern ones multi-role fighter Eurofighter F2000 – and the Phoenix Task Group – by aircraft Predator MQ9A, both of whom are involved in the work of’Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), whose products are integrated and merged by the Italian Integrated Multisensor Exploitation Capability (I2MEC) Task Group, as well as with the aircraft of Albatros Task Group redeployed to Iraq, from the Task Group Medal: the C130Js are responsible for strategic transport from the home country and tactical transport within the theatre, and the Task Group Breus – with the KC 767-A, a versatile and flexible tanker and a key asset for the strategic transport of personnel, vehicles and equipment.
Over the following days, the Chief of the General Staff, accompanied also by the’Italian Ambassador, Carlo Baldocci, visited the new Salem Al Sabah base, home to the Kuwaiti unit equipped with Eurofighter aircraft, where he met the Deputy Minister and Under-Secretary of Defence, Sheikh Abdallah Meshal Mubarak Al Sabah, and the leadership of the Kuwait Air Force, with the Commander, Major General Bander Al Muzayan. During his visit, General Goretti was able to see for himself the programme’s recent developments, which include a fully operational base and a highly operational fleet.
Together with representatives of Leonardo’s new leadership, led by the’Lorenzo Mariani, Engineer, the topics that will enable the Programme to enter its fully operational phase and guarantee long-term comprehensive support to the KAF by both the Italian Air Force and the national industry were analysed, further strengthening the bilateral relations between the two Armed Forces and the two countries.
The visit concluded with the signing of the IT NCC Air guest book by the General Goretti, who emphasised that the presence of the Italian contingent in the country serves to enhance Italy’s image in the Arabian Peninsula, demonstrating just how highly the work of the Italian Air Force personnel – in terms of their professionalism, commitment and passion – is regarded in various international forums.
