The Experimental Flight Department, with the Italian Army and the Carabinieri, successfully completes the certification tests of the UH-139D helicopter for the airdrop in Free Fall Technique
From 3 to 7 November, at the “Arturo Ferrarin” military airport in Guidonia, headquarters of the 60th Wing of the Italian Air Force, experimental tests were held aimed at the Certification and Qualification of the UH-139D as a helicopter suitable for the airdrop of paratroopers with Free Fall Technique (TCL), in favor of the Carabinieri.
The tests, successfully completed, are part of a broader scenario in which the articulations of the Aeronautical and Space Experimentation Air Division (DASAS), in particular of the Technical Group (GT) and the 311th Flight Group (GV) of the Experimental Flight Department (RSV), provide their specific contribution, in terms of experimentation, development, integration and validation of new weapon systems or those subject to modification, to the Directorate of Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness (DAAA) for Certification and Qualification.
The UH-139D of the Carabinieri will be the first helicopter of the AW-139 line to obtain the TCL Airlaunch Certification, and this represents an important milestone for the maintenance of the operational capabilities of the Carabinieri.
The testing activities, conducted by the RSV, have fostered an inter-force synergy, with the involvement of the Italian Air Force, the Italian Army and the Carabinieri and through the participation of multiple Commands and Bodies, such as the 60th Wing of Guidonia, which provided logistical support, the Folgore Parachute Brigade of Pisa which made available the technical staff of the Experiences and Studies Office, and the General Command of the Carabinieri of Rome, with the employees of the Carabinieri Aircraft Group of Pratica di Mare, the 1st Parachute Regiment Tuscania and the Special Intervention Group (GIS) of Livorno.
The joint nature of the tests represented an important opportunity for professional and human growth for all the soldiers involved, as well as a moment of technical-operational comparison between the three Armed Forces, with a view to continuous improvement of their respective capabilities.
The Experimental Flight Department is one of the six Departments that depend on DASAS and has the task of supporting the Operational Departments of the Air Force through the experimentation, development, integration and validation of new weapon systems or those subjected to modification. In response, then, to the changing geopolitical, social and economic context, the RSV has given a significant boost to the activities in support of the Operational Departments, essentially through the tool of operational technical certification that allows the rapid and autonomous implementation of technological solutions capable of meeting the new needs in hostile theaters.
The Air Division of Aeronautical and Space Experimentation brings together, under a single command, all the study and experimentation bodies of the Italian Air Force. The Division is the main consulting body of the Armed Forces and the Defense Administration for flight tests of aircraft and weapon systems, the analysis and chemical-physical evaluation of structural and consumable materials, training and experimentation in the field of aerospace medicine, the management of operational software and the operational verification of weapon systems. DASAS also provides technical, logistical and operational support to the Air Force and other Armed Forces and State Armed Corps that insist on the grounds and manages, through the Air Terminal Operation Center (A.T.O.C.), flights intended for operations outside national borders.
The airport of Pratica di Mare is the first Italian military air base for traffic and aircraft movements and is also the only national military health entry point. The Experience and Studies Office of the “Folgore” Parachute Brigade, as a Technical Defense Body, remains the national and international technical reference for airdrops, both of personnel and materials and armaments: development of new systems, evaluation of procedures, implementation of security measures and constant collaboration with RSV and 46th Air Brigade guarantee the full effectiveness of the systems and the achievement of the objectives of the entire Defense sector.
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