The training activity was an opportunity to exercise the Air Force’s resilience, force regeneration and operational readiness capabilities in line with NATO’s ACE concept
In recent weeks, a training activity was carried out at the Pantelleria Airport Detachment on the Air Landed Aircraft Refuelling Point (ALARP) capability for the advanced refueling of aerotactical aircraft, in which F-35B assets of the Air Force and the Navy took part.
In particular, the event focused on the operational regeneration of two F-35B aircraft, which once landed on Pantelleria airport – which in the circumstance simulated a so-called “austere” base, i.e. not suitable for conventional take-off flight operations – and with the engines still running, carried out refueling on the ground, in technical jargon “Hot Pit”, and then quickly took off for the continuation of its operational mission.
The activity was carried out under the coordination of the Air Force Command-1^Air Region of Milan, with the participation of assets and personnel from the 32nd Wing of Amendola, which also guaranteed the maintenance, assistance to aircraft and cross servicing activities, of the 46^ Air Brigade of Pisa with KC-130J tanker asset, 3rd Wing of Villafranca for activities related to refueling operations and of the 16th Wing of Martina Franca which the necessary security framework was guaranteed through the Air Fusiliers.
This scenario of operations allows you to fully exploit the Short Takeoff characteristics of the F-35B aircraft and to practice in peacetime, according to the train as you fight concept, on the use of ground refueling procedures. The training activity also made it possible to exercise the NATO concept called Agile Combat Employment (ACE), an operational maneuver scheme designed to improve the resilience and survival of Aerospace Power, i.e. the ability to move from a base and regenerate one’s air operational capability in geographically dispersed places, and then continue to conduct the assigned mission, that is, to be resilient and able to generate operational readiness from the sky in all circumstances.
The development of this NATO operational concept, which through the dispersion of assets reduces the risk of having air resources concentrated in a single position, determines a freedom of action and operational flexibility that allows the Armed Force to continue to conduct its mission even in the presence of threats and increases the flexibility of air operations, as aircraft can be quickly repositioned to meet changing operational needs, with minimal support.
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