The "Mangusta 16" exercise ended today. The event, which involved three Italian armed forces (Army, Air Force and Carabinieri) and four different Nations (Italy, USA, France and Holland) represented the largest activity with opposing parties ever carried out this year on Italian territory by Folgore parachute brigade.
1000 paratroopers of the Italian Army, belonging to all the regiments of the brigade, were deployed on the ground. thunderbolt, 190 men provided in competition by the 41 ° rgt Cordenons, 17 ° rgt ADA Sforzesca and 121 ° rgt ADA, 5 ° rgt Rigel with two assets Mangusta A129, 1 ° rgt Antares with two CH 47F assets and, for the connections and the command and control, the 2 ° rgt Trasmissioni and the 33 ° rgt Guerra Elettronica were used. They also took part in the 140 operations of the American paratroopers of 173 ^ Airborne Brigade stationed in Vicenza, 32 French paratroopers of the 17 ° Genio regiment and 31 Dutch paratroopers of the11 ^ Assault and storm.
The activity, based on maximum realism and conduct without interruption, began with the launch of exploratory platoons that identified, recognized and marked the launch areas for the assault force and acquired sensitive objectives and information on the enemy attested at the Ampugnano airport (SI). Subsequently the aviolanci of the assault brackets took place, from a formation composed of a C130 H of the United States and an Italian C130 J of the 46 ^ Aereobrigata stationed in Pisa. Orange training in mixed training is an activity that had not been carried out for many years and was re-established thanks to the active collaboration between the Army and Aeronautics.
After the airport was taken by the paratroopers of the Alcione Task Force, composed of paratroopers of the 186 regiment, of the 183 regiment, 8 regiment of paratroopers and US paratroopers, supplies were unwound from a Dornier of the 1 ° Aves regiment Antares. Finally, a C27J Spartan aircraft of the 46 ^ Aereobrigata, after a tactical flight phase, landed safely at Ampugnano airport, unloading a tactical transport vehicle, essential for the development of the maneuver.
Among the various activities that took place over two intense weeks at the Monteromano range, the helicopter boarding of the Advanced Command Post which coordinated the assaults directly on the ground, and the helicopter, carried out by a CH 47F, of a container and a VTLM Lince.
Other important results have been achieved in the use of command and control systems, in the implementation of the cycle targeting and in battle & air space management.
A Confirmation of the excellent work done and the increase in interoperability between armies allied to the exercise Mangusta 16 intervened in the commander of the North Operating Forces, General Bruno Stano, the division commander Friuli, General Carlo Lamanna and a representative of the commander of 11a French paratroopers brigade.
