The ceremony for the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the 5th ISTAR-EW (Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting, Acquisition Reconnaissance – Electronic Warfare) air brigade was held last December 9th at the military airport of Pratica di Mare, presided over by the commander of the department, gen. b.a. Danilo Morando, and with the participation of numerous military and civil authorities and a representation of serving and retired personnel, including Gen. Sandro Sampaoli, first commander of the 9th ISTAR-EW air brigade.
A history, that of the 9th air brigade, which has had several chapters and a glorious past. The current department in fact originates from what was the 9th "Leone" air brigade, established in 1940 in Marawa, Libya, and which after the war was reconstituted first in Padua and then in Ferrara, where it remained operational until 1942 From November 1997 to June 2006 it was operational again, for the first time at the Pratica di Mare airport, where from 1 December 2013 it was reconstituted with tasks and name "ISTAR-EW", reporting to the team command aerial.
The winged lion, which embodies the traditions of Leo Marciano of the 87th "Serenissima" distant reconnaissance squadron, established on 2 February 1918, still appears in the brigade's coat of arms and indicates that the mission has not changed over time, but has if anything evolved. During the war period, that first team was responsible for the first long-range photographic reconnaissance, a prestigious mission and precursor of the ISTAR capability and of what later became the modern "Information Operations". Just think of the first launch of propaganda leaflets over the skies of Vienna, carried out by some daring crews of the "Serenissima", including Major Gabriele D'Annunzio, on 9 August 1918.
“The brigade has a mission of high operational and strategic importance, as nowadays information management is an increasingly decisive factor for the success of operations”, General Morando said in his speech. “Its mission, which has roots in the early days of the Armed Forces, can be summarized as providing the best possible information support to decision makers, building and updating an information asset that is nothing short of fundamental. This connotation places the brigade among the enabling capabilities that make up the First Line and is essential in ensuring the defense and security of the country". General Morando then wanted to underline the commitment of the men and women of the brigade in this first decade of life, “an active contribution to the preparation and conduct of the numerous activities at home and of the complex operations outside the national borders, ensuring its constant and unfailing contribution in favor of the operational departments of the air team command and the aerospace operations command of Poggio Renatico and of the 'Alliance".
The mission of the 9th ISTAR-EW air brigade is to conduct operational, information and support activities in the ISTAR-EW sector, summarizing all the capabilities currently available in the Armed Forces in this area, as well as contributing to the achievement and maintenance of operational readiness of dependent departments: ReSTOGE, CIGA and CNMCA.
