Afghanistan: Predator's last operational flight for the ISAF mission

02/12/14

Yesterday afternoon, an Air Force Predator B landed on the runway of Herat airport, after having conducted the last operational mission lasting 5 hours and 35 minutes in favor of the Afghan security forces and the contingent of the 'International Security Assistant Force (ISAF).

At the end of the event, a sober ceremony was held in the presence of the commander of the Train Advise and Assist Command West (TAAC-W) gen. Maurizio Angelo Scardino and the commander of the Joint Air Task Force (JATF) col. Paolo Latini in whose national air component and the joint forces of the Italian contingent in Afghanistan operated the Italian Predators framed in the Task Group Astore.

During the ceremony it was symbolically lowered the banner of the group to signify the definitive greeting to the Afghan territory.

In over 7 years of operational use in favor of the ISAF mission (since June 2007), the Italian Predators, in the "A +" and "B" versions, have contributed decisively to the achievement of important operational objectives, carrying out "intelligence" missions surveillance, reconnaissance and acquisition of targets throughout the Afghan territory by making a total 1576 sorties and 14191 flight hours with which the 37 Task Force of the entire international contingent has been supported.

The Predators coming from the 28 ° flight group of the 32 ° flock of the Air Force stationed in Amendola (FG), supported by men and women coming from other departments of the armed force, have operated putting to capacity system and human and technological skills, that the aeronautica militare expresses in the field of the remotely piloted aircraft (APR).