The XXXII has officially starteda 2016-2017 Summer Antarctic Campaign of the National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA), which sees the re-opening of the Italian "Mario Zucchelli" base in Baia Terra Nova, after the long period of closure for the Antarctic winter.
In this campaign, Italian military personnel from the Army, Navy, Aeronautics and Carabinieri will be involved in the specific competences of the Armed Forces they belong to.
The military will participate in shipments from 1985 and this year will support the engineers and researchers selected by ENEA (National Agency for New Technologies and Sustainable Economic Development).
The PNRA Expedition is funded by the MIUR according to the strategic guidelines of the National Scientific Commission for Antarctica (CSNA) and research activities are coordinated by the National Research Council (CNR).
The Campaign will develop over four months, which coincide with the Antarctic summer, in particularly complex environmental conditions; in fact, at the Mario Zucchelli Coastal Station, average temperatures are recorded between 0 ° C and -35 ° C and it is necessary to adapt to 24 hours of light per day for the whole period.
In view of the XXXIIa Expedition, the participants had to follow a one-week theoretical-practical course at the ENEA Center of Brasimone (BO), and another week of adaptation for survival in the mountain environment, on Mont Blanc with the Alpine guides of the Alpine Training Center of Aosta.
Because of the difficulties to reach the Italian Mario Zucchelli Station in Antarctica and to meet the needs represented by the Antarctic Technical Unit, ENEA requested the collaboration of the Air Force in order to build an aviopista at the Boulder Clay site, on Antarctic continent. During the 30ª and 31ª Expedition a series of tests were carried out to verify the feasibility and in conjunction with the 32ª the start of the works is expected.
With regard to the military tasks of the Armed Forces, the participation of 27 units is expected: 11 Army, 4 MM, 11 AM, 1 CC.
The Army will participate in the mission by providing medical personnel, mountain guides, mechanics and helicopter pilots who will be employed in the Mario Zucchelli base's operations room.
The Navy will be represented by a boatman, a naval engineer and two divers, who will be responsible for the underwater activities that will take place offshore or under the ice.
The meteorologists of the Air Force will provide weather forecasts throughout the expedition, to allow operators to operate safely in an isolated area and under extreme conditions. A group of AM operators, coordinated by a geotechnical officer, will contribute to the realization of the aviopista in Boulder Clay.
The Arma dei Carabinieri will participate with a soldier who will provide support for maritime and land operations on remote fields.
(photo: SMD)
