On Wednesday, October 1st, the Change of Command ceremony for the Flight Experimental Department (RSV) took place at the “Mario de Bernardi” military airport in Pratica di Mare (RM), between outgoing Commander Colonel Morgan Lovisa and incoming Commander Colonel Giuseppe Gentile.
The day began with the laying of a wreath to the fallen of the Department, attended by the outgoing and incoming Commanders.
The Change of Command ceremony, held in the presence of the War Flag of the Experimental Flight Department, was presided over by the Commander of the Air Division of Aeronautics and Space Experimentation (DASAS), Air Division General Luciano Ippoliti.
Colonel Lovisa, in his farewell speech, wished to thank the numerous military and civilian guests who attended, including Dr Francesco Lamanna, President of the Pomezia Municipal Council, and representatives from national industries and academia.
A heartfelt tribute was then paid to the Gonfalone of the city of Pomezia, whose presence symbolises the deep bond between the civil and military institutions of the territory, and to the Labari of the veterans' associations.
Colonel Lovisa continued his speech by thanking all the staff of the Department for the incessant work carried out during his period of command: “…You have achieved so much... in flight, in the field, in laboratories and on programme tables, both in Italy and abroad. You have done so in a context that was certainly not easy, with growing commitments and ambitions and shrinking resources, and you have done it with quiet dedication, a sense of duty, professionalism, and awareness of your role, ensuring prompt results and product quality. A constant commitment and significant contribution, which has not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by the numerous testimonials of esteem and recognition received from various organisational levels and spheres, both within and outside the Defence sector...”.
Following the formal moment of reading the supplement to the agenda and the handover, the newly appointed Head of Department, Colonel Giuseppe Gentile, took the floor, thanking the Superior Authorities and General Ippoliti for the trust placed in him with the assignment of the position. He then continued: “...Today, with deep emotion and a sense of responsibility, I take on the leadership of the Experimental Flight Department. A Department that represents the technological excellence of our Air Force, an authentic laboratory of the future, where experimentation becomes concrete operational capability. The Department finds its purpose in transforming innovation and technology into tools for safety, ensuring readiness and operational superiority.…”. Col. Gentile then assured that, with the ongoing technological revolution, the RSV will continue to play a leading role, as a catalyst for ideas driving innovation.
The ceremony concluded with an address by Air Division General Luciano Ippoliti, Commander of DASAS, who congratulated Colonel Lovisa on his extensive operational experience put to service during the Unit's activities. Addressing Colonel Gentile, he then expressed his best wishes for the prestigious role he has undertaken, confident that he will be able to guide the Unit towards ever more ambitious horizons.
The Air and Space Experimental Aeronautics Division brings together, under a single command, all the study and experimentation bodies of the Italian Air Force. The Division is the main advisory body for the Armed Force and the Defence Administration for flight testing of aircraft and weapon systems, chemical-physical analysis and evaluation of structural and consumable materials, training and experimentation in the field of aerospace medicine, operational software management, and operational verification of weapon systems. Furthermore, the D.A.S.A.S. provides technical-logistical and operational support to the Bodies of the Italian Air Force and other Armed Forces and State Armed Corps located on the site, and manages, through the Air Terminal Operation Center (A.T.O.C.), flights intended for operations outside national borders. Pratica di Mare airport is the primary Italian military air base for traffic and aircraft movements and is also the sole national military health entry point.
The Experimental Flight Department is one of six departments reporting to DASAS and is tasked with supporting the operational departments of the Air Force through the experimentation, development, integration, and validation of new weapon systems or those undergoing modification. In response to the changing geopolitical, social, and economic context, the RSV has significantly boosted activities to support the Operational Departments, essentially through the instrument of operational technical certification, which allows for the rapid and independent implementation of technological solutions capable of meeting new requirements in hostile theatres.
The Experimental Flying Department is currently structured into five groups:
– 311th Flying Group;
Technical Group;
– Software Management Group
- Aerospace Engineering Group;
Armament and Countermeasures Group.
The Department inherits the legacy of the Higher Studies and Experiments Directorate of the Royal Air Force, the Aeronautical Experimentation Centre established from 1935 near Rome, in Guidonia Montecelio. Aeronautical experimental activities had been concentrated at that location since the end of the First World War. In the years immediately preceding the Second World War, the DSSE was a world-class centre of excellence for aeronautical experimentation. In 1948, from the ashes of what survived the war’s destruction, the Experimental Flight Nucleus was created, which, on 15 October 1949, was renamed the Experimental Flight Department. On 1 July 1956, the Department was structured into two branches: the Flight Group, which took the name 311th Flight Group which it still retains, and the Technical Directorate, today the Technical Group. The following year, 1957, the headquarters was transferred from Guidonia to the current airport at Pratica di Mare.
On 30 March 1961, the Wing chose its current heraldic symbol, a winged Icarus against a blue background, later changed to black, and the motto, identical to the one present at the monumental entrance of the DSSE in Guidonia, “HINC PER AETHRAM ALAM TEMPTAT ICARI PROGENIES,“ freely translatable as ”Here, through the skies, the offspring of Icarus experiments with the wing.”.
From 16 September 1985, the Experimental Flight Department came under the command of the newly established Air Division of Studies, Research, and Experimentation (current D.A.S.A.S.).
On 24 February 1987, by Decree of the President of the Republic of 01 December 1986, the War Flag of the Experimental Flight Department was awarded the Gold Medal for Aeronautical Valour.
On 1st July 1994, the Software Management Group joined the RSV, becoming a key point of reference for resolving all issues concerning aircraft avionics, sensors, and onboard software. On 1st July 2014, the Engineering for Aero-Space Group was established from the previous Space Systems Group. This group undertakes study, research, and experimentation on space and aerospace systems with the dual objective of expanding the Italian Air Force's expertise beyond 60,000 feet and improving support for space segment operations.
On 17 July 2017, the Department was enhanced by a fifth group, the Armament and Countermeasures Group, which is tasked with evaluating the effectiveness of aircraft on-board self-protection systems.
On 23 October 2021, by Decree of the President of the Republic No. 128 of 23 July 2021, the War Flag of the Experimental Flight Department was awarded the Silver Medal of Aeronautical valour.
