The aircraft, coming from the 51 ° flock of Istrana and from the 32 ° flock of Amendola, are classified in the flight group "Black Cats" of the Joint Air Task Force commanded by pilot colonel Francesco Saverio Agresti and are employed with tasks of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance of the area in favor of the Regional Command West, the brigade regional command "Sassari" responsible for the ISAF operation in the western area of the country.
For the men of the "Black Cats", commanded by the major pilot Alberto Faccini, today's goal, never again matched by an Italian combat aircraft in operations outside national borders since the end of World War II, represents an important and significant step that is It was possible to reach thanks also to the professionalism of the technical personnel in charge of aircraft maintenance.
"The use of these aircraft," said the commander of the Regional Command West, General Manlio Scopigno, "constitutes a resource of fundamental importance in the context of the already effective operation of the multinational contingent with Italian leadership, particularly strategic in tactical support missions close to land forces ".
Source: General Office for Communication - Public Information Office - Rome
