Remotely Piloted Aircraft: Drone Protection 2024 concluded in Amendola

(To air Force)
18/12/24

From 28 November to 10 December, the exercise called "A.I.M.A.R.T." took place at the military airport of Amendola (FG), home of the 32nd wing of the Italian Air Force. Drone Protection 2024, activity aimed at the implementation and integration of mini/Micro APRs into local defense procedures.

In particular, the Center of Excellence Remotely Piloted Aircraft of the Air Force, an inter-force body among the qualified/authorized units of the Armed Forces for the containment and countering of threats, together with the force protection group of the 32nd wing, a specialized unit for airport defense, conducted a “live local defense exercise with integration of APR m/M systems in surveillance and surveillance activities, as well as to counter possible incursions of malicious and unauthorized UAS”. The activity was characterized by a timely implementation and validation of the procedures already in force through the conduct of careful and detailed joint planning aimed at integrating and updating the aforementioned procedures, culminating in practical simulations of dynamic contrast to the threat.

Thanks to the close and fruitful collaboration between the 32nd Wing and the center of excellence, it was possible to draw up a standardization note aimed at establishing the procedures for the flight of m/M APRs within the airport premises in line with the regulations in force.

The 32nd wing is under the command of command of combat forces (CFC) of Milan, whose assigned mission is to acquire and maintain the operational readiness of all air defense, attack and reconnaissance organizations, ensuring the operational efficiency of weapon systems, vehicles and materials, as well as the training of personnel and the constant updating and optimization of operational procedures, in compliance with the guidelines of the higher authorities. The CFC is dependent on the air team command which has jurisdiction over training, preparation and operational readiness of its departments, so that they acquire and maintain the expected levels of operational readiness.

After achieving the Initial Operational Capability (IOC), which took place in 2018, since 2019 the 32nd wing has participated in NATO operations of Air Policing outside national borders. Since February 2020 it has been the only unit on the European scene that jointly employs both the F-35A (CTOL) and the F-35B (STOVL), contributing to the Air Expeditionary of the Armed Forces. In addition to this, since January 2022 the 32nd wing, with the 5th generation aircraft, will also perform the NATO QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) service to defend the airspace of the Atlantic Coalition. Furthermore, using the MQ9-A Remotely Piloted Aircraft (APR). Predator B, the department carries out operations Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance (ISTAR), both national and coalition. Furthermore, with the MB-339 jets, the 32nd wing completes the training of APR pilots to maintain an adequate operational level on traditionally piloted aircraft.

Il Center of Excellence Remotely Piloted Aircraft of Amendola (FG) is an Air Force body with an inter-force connotation under the 3rd department of the SMA. A single point of reference in the inter-force field for APR matters, it is composed of experts in the sector and extends its activities from basic and advanced training for piloting APR systems and the use of their sensors, to support aimed at promoting the inter-force development of the sector through the contribution to the conduct of experiments, development of procedures and validation of concepts connected to their use, thus ensuring training and procedural standardization to guarantee maximum interoperability both at inter-force and inter-agency level.