Joint training continues between the 46th air brigade of the Italian Air Force and the "Folgore" paratrooper brigade of the Italian Army as part of the achievement and maintenance of specific aviation-launch capabilities to support units that can be readily used in non-permissive operating environments and high intensity.
In this context, on 26 January a particular exercise activity of avio-launch of materials was carried out through the JPADS (Joint Precision Air Delivery) system, carried out by a C-130J aircraft of the 46th Pisa Air Brigade. The activity, in order to optimize means and resources of the Defense sector and consolidate the interoperability between the crews of the Air Force and the units of the paratroopers brigade thunderbolt of the Army, was planned and conducted at the Experimental and Joint Training Polygon of Salto di Quirra (PISQ), an environment in which it was possible to recreate a training scenario as realistic as possible.
The JPADS system, certified on the C-130J aircraft through a campaign of Operational Test and Evaluation conducted by the 46th Air Brigade, from experimental flight department and by the brigade thunderbolt, was used in various training contexts, as well as used in Afghanistan to supply, from above, the bases located in more advanced and isolated sites. This system, as part of the tasks assigned to the 46th air brigade with the C-130J line, that is to contribute to the tactical and strategic movement of men, vehicles, materials and what is necessary to support operations for the performance of the tasks designated by the Defense , assumes particular importance for increasing the ability to carry out air-launch activities in a safe, precise manner and with the necessary degree of unpredictability.
The airmen-refuellers of the "Folgore" paratrooper brigade are highly specialized units that provide fundamental support for the achievement of this logistical capacity, in particular for the conditioning of materials and vehicles in special containers and / or on specific platforms, to be subsequently launched. from an air carrier.
