Specific funding, specifically provided by the Ministry of Defense, together with funds from the COFS (Special Forces Command), have allowed the 17 ° Stormo Air Force Air Force Commanders to acquire modern weapon systems.
As a short weapon, the Beretta PX-4 STORM Type D 9x19 is particularly appreciated, but the Austrian Glock 17 9x19 and the Belgian Five-Seven in caliber 5,7x28 are also used.
Initially equipped with the Colt M-4A1 and H&K G-36C carbines, the raiders subsequently acquired the 416x5,56 caliber Heckler & Koch 45 - aligning with the other national special forces - available with both 10-inch and 14,5-inch long barrel. , 160 inches. Also available is the new ARX-2AXNUMX, specially designed for special forces.
In the 17th century armory there are also the H&K 417 models in caliber 7,62x51, particularly appreciated by operators for their greater effective range and superior stopping power.
There is no shortage of optics and electro-optical systems that implement the precision of the above-mentioned rifles, such as the classic Aimpoint and Trijicon, LAM 100 / 200 laser pointers, red hot EOTech viewers, AN / PEQ 2 insight systems, AN / PEQ 4 and AN / PEQ 15, Mako MEPRO MOR, and the Insight Mk23 thermal chamber.
For particular tasks, the MP-5A3 and MP-5SD3 submachine guns are used, useful in confined spaces. As well as the 12 caliber rifles, like the Benelli M-4 caliber 12 / 76, also used to unhinge the door locks.
There are numerous weapons used for precision shooting. Particularly appreciated, for shooting at medium distances, the raiders use the semi-automatic Sr-25 / Mk-11 in caliber 7,62x51, flanked by the Sako TRG-22 in the same caliber.
Going up in caliber we find the Sako TRG-42, with ordinary repeater, in caliber 8,6x70 (.338 Lapua Magnum), equipped with 2x Schmidt & Bender PM-12 optics.
The Italian single-shot BCM EXTREME MAAR shoots a bullet caliber 10,4x77 (.408 Chey Tac), and is mainly used in anti-material function. In fact, a couple of operators could be infiltrated into enemy territory and hit a radar apparatus from a great distance (2.000 meters) making it useless.
Going up in caliber, always in the field of anti-material rifles, we find the Barrett M-82A1, semi-automatic in 12,7x99 caliber equipped with 20x Leupold optics and the French PGM Hecate II, with revolving-sliding shutter, which mounts a Nightforce optic 20x, always in the same caliber.
In the near future - despite the cuts in funding by the Armed Forces that have also affected the special forces - it is hoped to maintain the high quality of the weapons used by the raiders, worthy heirs of the Arditi Destroyers of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.
(See also the video "The 17 ° Flock of the Military Air Force")
Photo: Aeronautica Militare
