On Wednesday 21 December, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, Air Force General Luca Goretti, met the women and men of the Air Task Force “Gladiator” engaged in Romania in the NATO mission of Enhanced Air Policing of the southern area (eAPAS). To receive the General, the Commander of the TFA, Colonel Michele Morelli, accompanied by the Commander of the Romanian air base, Colonel Nicolae Crețu, testifying to the close ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
General Goretti thanked the personnel deployed since mid-November at Mihail Kogălniceanu airport, in Constanta, “because also thanks to your work, Italy is able to express a leading air force in Europe for flexibility of use and operational readiness. Adherence logistics is a challenge for our Armed Forces, a challenge that allows us to demonstrate what we are capable of supporting in multiple operational theaters simultaneously,” added the Chief of Staff. “Ensuring seamless operation between one Task Force and another, as recently happened, means putting our logistics to the test, allowing us to improve even more”.
During the meeting with the TFA staff there was a thought for Captain Fabio Antonio Altruda, the pilot officer of the 37 ° Stormo of Trapani tragically died in the plane crash of last December 13th. “Even in memory of Fabio”, underlined the Head of SMA, “we must continue with his same commitment and passion to serve the country”.
The following day, General Goretti was received by his Romanian counterpart, General Viorel Pana, with whom he held fruitful talks to discuss the ongoing activities and interoperability between the armed forces of the two countries.
The day then continued with a visit to the logistics facilities, built by the staff of the Rapid Airfield Operational System (RAOS) of the 3rd Wing of Villafranca and the 3rd Department of the AM Engineers, focusing in particular at the mobile hangars used for the shelter of aircraft ready for immediate take-off on alarm – in technical jargon scramble – and within which maintenance personnel can also operate in environmental and safety conditions Optimal.
During the visit, General Goretti had the opportunity to attend a training event – a “Tango Scramble” – during which the Eurofighters took off in a very short time for a mission of surveillance and defense of NATO airspace. The visit continued with a briefing by the TFA Commander, who illustrated to the Chief of Staff the activities of the Task Force, including the achievement of Full Operational Capability (FOC) in a very short time. The Italian contingent, placed under the direct national dependence of the Joint Top Operational Command (COVI), is composed of 150 women and men of the Air Force from Flight Groups of different Wings of the Armed Forces and technical and logistical personnel who, until the end of July 2023, will operate with the Forṱele Aeriene Romậne to protect the eastern flank of the Atlantic Alliance.
Afterwards, General Goretti and Colonel Morelli participated in a video link to the greeting that the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, in the presence of the Minister of Defense, Hon. Guido Crosetto, the Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone and the Commander of the COVI, General of the Army Corps Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, addressed to the military contingents engaged in international missions from the COVI operations room in Rome.
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