Corvus Corax: joint force exercise concluded in Puglia

(To Marina Militare)
30/05/18

In recent days, the joint exercise between the Italian Navy, the Air Force and the “Corvus Corax” financial police took place in the sky and on the sea of ​​Puglia. The three institutions have collaborated in close synergy to integrate and improve coordination and cooperation capacities in the defense activities of national air and maritime spaces, also with regard to the fight against illicit trafficking.

The first part of the exercise, Thursday 24 May, saw the interception, by the assets of the Italian Air Force (AM) and the Guardia di Finanza (GdF), of an ultralight aircraft used for the clandestine transport of illicit material through the Italian airspace. The second part of the exercise, which took place the following Monday, May 28, involved the simulation of the interception of a high-performance vessel engaged in illicit trafficking, coming from international waters.

The Navy (MM) also took part in this second event with the use of a P72 maritime patrol aircraft of the 41st Wing of Sigonella. The P72 is an aircraft, with mixed AM and MM crews, which in maritime surveillance missions operates under the operational control of the command in chief of the naval team (CINCNAV) and the coastal radar network (also active on the Apulian coast). The assets employed were managed by aeronaval operations center (COAN) of the command in chief of the naval team. The operations center, in particular, provided both the Air Force and the Financial Police with information relating to the intrusion of the vessel object of the interception, similarly to what happens in real circumstances. In both events of the exercise, the operations ended with the arrest of the traffickers by the men of the Guardia di Finanza.

For the Air Force, in addition to the bodies assigned to air traffic control and air defense, various aircraft were involved that alternated with the control of clandestine carriers. In addition to the F-2000 fighters, used daily to defend the national airspace, HH-139 helicopters (one of the GdF and one of the AM) were also used, particularly effective in the so-called SMI activity (Slow Movers Interception, interception of slow vectors). In particular, the GdF helicopter, of state-of-the-art technology and recently acquired by the body as part of an overall fleet modernization program, is equipped with an innovative mission system (called RW ATOS) consisting of sensors high performance research and discovery that allows to perform, even in the night, airborne patrol missions to combat illegal traffic perpetrated to the detriment of Italy and the European Union, as part of the exclusive tasks of economic police -financial and unique sea police attributed to the body.

New in this second iteration of the Corvus Corax was the use of further AOS assets. Among these, the F-35, already included in the context of national air defense. The use of the F-35 for this type of activity is made possible by the flexibility of use that characterizes the aircraft and allows you to take advantage of the aircraft's state-of-the-art sensors and its very high ability to collect information without being observed.
Another novelty is the use of the CAEW trim (Conformal Airborne Early Warning), a real flying station of discovery, command and control, also an example of advanced technology, able to dialogue with all the assets involved and coordinate operations.

The GdF, as a consequence of the recent attribution of the exclusive operational responsibility to guarantee public order and safety at sea, participated in the sighting and interception device through the use of its air-naval assets, daily engaged in activities to combat illicit trafficking .
The operations were coordinated at national level by the operations center of the general command of the GdF, involving the provincial commands of Bari and Lecce and the Aeronavale Operations Department from Bari.