The operation was made possible thanks to the collaboration with the Air Team Command, the Poggio Renatico Air Operations Command and the 46 ^ Pisa Air Brigade which ensured the availability of a C-130J aircraft for the transfer of the Radar structure on the Pelagic island.
The personnel and logistic means of the 4 ° RTM and the 122 ^ Mobile Radar Squadron of Borgo Sabotino, which is equipped with the Matra AN / TPS-77 mobile radar system used in the operation, have carefully taken care of all the handling phases: from the transport to Pratica di Mare, to loading on the aircraft, to disembarking and repositioning on the stand where the "Final Operational Capability" (FOC) has already been reached. The activity has been planned to allow the extinguishing of important Radar attitude maintenance works RAT 31 SL currently operating on Lampedusa.
The operation of moving a complex apparatus such as a mobile radar using an air carrier, carried out for the first time, made it possible to effectively test the operational readiness and projection capabilities of the 122 ^ Squadrigla Mobile Radar and the efficiency of the assets technical-logistic of the 4 ° RTM.
The Matra (Mobile Air Defense Tactical Radar) is one of the radar systems supplied to the Air Force. Acquired in the 2004, it meets the stringent NATO requirements in terms of performance and physical characteristics and, in particular, it is the only Air Defense radar system that is currently transportable on the C-130J aircraft of the 46 ^ Air Brigade. Efficiency and continuity operation of the Radar systems are essential elements for the performance of the primary tasks of the Armed Forces for the surveillance of the national air space and appear to be, at this historical juncture, a fundamental support for the "Mare Nostrum" operation.
Source / photo: 4th Technical Maintenance Department - Borgo Piave (LT) - m.llo Emanuela Valente
