[Photo] AB.212 Twin Huey helicopter winching training in Malta

Taken on Nov. 7 by The Aviationist’s contributor Estelle Calleja, the following images show winching training conducted by an Italian Air Force AB.212 (MM81158) at Melieha, in the nortwestern part of Malta.

The Italian chopper is one of the two assets permanently based at Malta to support the local SAR (Search And Rescue) service with mixed aircrews (Italian and Maltese).

Dating back to 1973, the military cooperation between Italy and Malta includes pilot and pararescuemen training.

The AB.212 wears the badge and markings of the 9° Stormo (Wing) based at Grazzanise airbase, near Naples.

In the last few years, Italian Air Force “Twin Hueys” belonging to the 9° Stormo’s 21° Gruppo (Squadron) “Tiger”, took part to the NATO Tiger Meet and were deployed to Afghanistan several times (hence the ISAF markings you can see in the photos).

Image credit: Estelle Calleja

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About David Cenciotti

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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.