On Friday, October 27, 2023, the inauguration ceremony of the new Command and Control (C2) system called “BlueShield” took place at the Airspace Control Training Department (RACSA).
The ceremony was attended by military and civil authorities, including Air Division General Alessandro De Lorenzo, Commander of the Air Aviation and Space Experimentation Division, Air Brigadier General Igor Bruni, Head of the 4th Logistics Department of the Air Force General Staff, Brigadier General Glauco Mora, Commander of the Aerospace Control Brigade and Ing. Renzo Tosini, Head of the Land & Sea Business Area of the Electronics Division of Leonardo, Italy’s leading Aerospace, Defence and Security company.
The “BlueShield” system stems from an agreement signed in February 2020 between the Italian Air Force and Leonardo, with the aim of creating a command and control system for Air Defense operations, which can be proposed to countries outside the Atlantic Alliance. The demonstrator, owned by Leonardo and installed on the grounds of Pratica di Mare – in an entirely redeveloped area – will be used as a test environment where RACSA’s DAMI (Integrated Missile Air Defence) instructor staff, together with the company’s technical and IT staff, will operate in a continuous process aimed at identifying possible areas for improvement and development of the current prototype (gap analysis).
Colonel Emidio Salmè, Commander of RACSA, after briefly illustrating the organization and tasks of the Department, explained how this represents a center of excellence in the field of education and training of the Armed Force’s controller and meteorological personnel. “This project,” said Col. Salmè, “further demonstrates the deep synergy between the Armed Forces and the national industrial fabric. A relationship that cannot be traced back to the simple “supplier-customer” combination, but based on a modus operandi that intends to pool training and the growth of technological and military capabilities, always at the service of the country”.
Leonardo’s representatives expressed their deep appreciation for the goal achieved, highlighting how the company has managed to develop this ambitious project thanks to the Italian Air Force and the expertise of RACSA instructors.
Il Gen. Igor Bruni, at the end of the previous speeches, underlined how this project is a valid example of collaboration between Defense and Industry in a sector, that of Air Defense and Command and Control, of great importance for national security.
The ceremony continued with the signing of the roll of honour by the two authorities in the “Orione” Room of the Department. Subsequently, after the traditional ribbon cutting, which inaugurated the BlueShield room, the guests participated in an operational demonstration of the system. RACSA is the Air Force Training Body that has the task of training Officer, Non-Commissioned Officer and Graduate personnel of all Armed Forces, including foreign ones, in the sectors of Integrated Missile Air Defense, Air Traffic and Meteorology, as well as providing training support to other bodies outside the Ministry of Defense, such as the Civil Protection Department and the National Fire Brigade. Located at the Military Airport of Pratica di Mare (RM), the Department depends on the Aerospace Control Brigade of the Aerospace Operations Command of Poggio Renatico (FE).
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