In the last few days, two helicopters and their crews of the Italian Air Force have participated in a complex training activity of the ATLAS network, an international network consisting of 38 groups of special intervention forces, organized by the central security operative unit – NOCS of the State Police.
The exercise included a night-time intervention by the NOCS on a high-speed train of the Italian State Railways that, after leaving Milan Central Station, reported an emergency due to a terrorist threat on board.
After the analysis of the scenario, from National Operations Room of command and control of the State Railways of Rome, where in the meantime the heads of the operational teams of the special forces, officials of the State Railways and liaison officers of the Air Force met, the type of intervention was defined and the dispatch of the NOCS was arranged to neutralize the threat.
Two Italian Air Force helicopters – an HH139B from the 15th Wing and an HH101A from the 9th Wing – were immediately activated to converge, respectively from Pratica di Mare and Grazzanise, on a collection point for the boarding of the NOCS operators, and then head to the designated location for the raid on the train, in this specific case which took place near the Anagni railway station.
The NOCS of the State Police reached Anagni with two helicopters of the Air Force: an HH139 of the SAR (air search and rescue) and an HH-101 used to support special operations.
These Air Force assets and crews, specialized in search and rescue activities and support for special operations, are trained and qualified to operate in complex operational and environmental contexts, thanks to specific capabilities at a national level such as the qualification for night operations with the use of special NVG viewers, essential in activities carried out entirely at night like this one, and the ability to operate at long distances from the home base and for extended periods through in-flight refueling.
The exercise, which also involved operators from other special units of the ATLAS network, ended late at night with the decisive intervention of the NOCS on board the train.
On this occasion, a medical evacuation activity was also simulated for a person injured during the intervention, carried out with the HH-139 of the 85th SAR center of the 15th wing, specialized units of the Armed Forces in this type of mission, carried out daily also for the benefit of the community.
The exercise, made possible thanks to the assets and personnel made available, without any impact on train circulation, by the FS Italiane Group, had the objective of testing the effectiveness and speed of activation of procedures for the safe management of this type of emergency and to always maintain high levels of personnel preparation, coordination with other police forces and the Defense sector and with public and private entities.
The 9th Wing, with its HH-101 flight assets, carries out support operations for special operations as well as search and recovery of isolated personnel in hostile territory (so-called search and rescue operations). Personnel Recovery), providing air support to the special forces and intervening, in the presence of any injuries, with emergency medical evacuation activities. The 9th Wing is directly dependent on the 1st Special Operations Air Brigade, which in turn reports to the command of the air team - 1st Air Region which is based in Milan.
The 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force guarantees, 24 hours a day, 24 days a year, without interruption, the search and rescue of flight crews in difficulty, also contributing to public utility activities such as the search for missing persons at sea or in the mountains, the emergency medical transport of patients in imminent danger of life and the rescue of seriously injured people, also operating in extreme weather conditions.
Since its establishment to date, the crews of the 15th Wing have saved more than 7500 people in danger of life. Since 2018, the Department has acquired the AIB (Forest Fire) capacity, contributing to the prevention and fight against fires throughout the national territory as part of the inter-force device put in place by the Defense.
