The main purpose of the exercise was to train the personnel of the Italian and foreign flight departments of the Air Rescue, of the coordination centers and of the ground teams in the planning, direction and management of search and rescue operations in the difficult mountain environment, both day and night, even in difficult weather conditions, favoring mutual knowledge and the development of common procedures.
The exercise, carried out by 8 at the September 12, had as its backdrop the mountains of the Alpine region of Carnia, flown without interruption by the helicopters of the air force, the army, the finance guard, the carabinieri, the body State Forestry and State Police. Dozens of search and rescue teams, coordinated by the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (CNSAS), who worked in the impervious territory in search of the missing.
The operations began on Tuesday 9 September at a fast pace, involving about 320 people, including military and civilians, and 12 aircraft assets that carried out over 100 sorties for a total of about 60 hours of flight in high-profile training missions , allowing you to close the exercise with a more than positive balance. "During the phases of the exercise we were able to reach the objectives we had set. The flight crews and the ground rescue teams worked in perfect synergy" - said the director of the exercise, Colonel Alfonso Cipriano - "Despite the difficult weather conditions in which we operated, we were able to train at our best and, in complete safety, to make all the gears of that complex machine work well which is air rescue in a mountain environment". 
The Air Force has provided its experience in terms of command and control of air operations, which were directed by a team of the rescue coordination center of the air operations command of the Air Force (RCC-COA) located at the PBA.
The entire and complex logistic planning, instead, has been entrusted to the logistic command of the AM that, thanks to the various dependent articulations actively involved in the exercise, has tested its own ability to quickly deploy personnel, means and infrastructures in an area isolated from the which conduct support operations to rescue the population struck by serious natural disasters or plane crashes.
In this context, the 3 ° Stormo of Villafranca (Vr), with the contribution of the 4 ° technical maintenance department of the 3 ^ division of the logistic command, has created a basic place on the flight field "Nido delle Fate" of Cercivento (Ud) advanced (PBA) equipped with all the necessary services for flight assistance and operations management, using command and control field structures, mobile communication systems, a mobile weather station, supply and safety services.
At the PBA, an advanced medical post (PMA) was activated, in which health personnel worked in the main infirmary of Villafranca AM, of the auxiliary corps of the Italian Red Cross volunteer nurses and of the 118, with functions of both advanced medical position in the context of the exercise scenario, both to provide first aid in case of real needs for the participating personnel.
At the Griffon 2014 also participated an environmental assessment team (SVA) of the support service of the logistic command of the military aeronautics which, in accordance with current legislation, dealt with all aspects relating to the protection of the environment from the risks deriving from any accidents, carrying out both prevention and simulated events. The SVA is made up of specially trained technical personnel equipped with technologically advanced instrumentation which is entrusted with the task of identifying and assessing the presence of any contaminants. 
For the Italian Air Force the following took part: an HH139A and a TH-500 from the 15th Wing of Cervia, an HH-212 from the 9th Wing of Grazzanise (Ce), two TH-500s from the 72nd Wing of Frosinone. Also taking part in the 2014 Grifone were an AB 205 of the 4th ALTAIR of the Italian army of Bolzano, an AB 412 of the carabinieri of Pisa, a PH 139 aviation center of the financial police of Pratica di Mare (Rm), an AB 212 of the 3rd flight department of the Bologna State Police and an AB 412 of the Belluno State Forestry Corps. The armée de l'air (French Air Force) participated with an AS 555 Fennec helicopter while the ejército del aire (Spanish Air Force) operated with the Super Puma A332.
The national body of mountain and speleological rescue has coordinated all land-based activities, ensuring, with 13 teams, research and medicalized, of mountain and speleological rescue of Friuli Venezia Giulia, flanked by those of the carabinieri and of the finance guard, the recovery of the personnel lost in the difficult mountain scenery.
The participation of crews and helicopters from Spain and France, as well as the presence of observers from Jordan, Montenegro and the United States, have given greater importance to the event, allowing a fruitful comparison and exchange of experiences.
Source: AM - General Office for Communication - Public Information Office - Lieutenant Simone Antonetti
