Recognized Maritime Picture, Sensor Fusion and AIS: inside the Italian Navy’s new Maritime Operation Center February 4, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Italian Navy.Tags: Automatic Identification System, Chief of Naval Operations, Giampaolo Di Paola, Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar, Italian Navy, Marina Militare, NATO
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On Jan. 19, the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) inaugurated its new Maritime Operation Center (MOC) with a ceremony that was attended by the Minister of Defense Giampaolo di Paola, along with the Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Bruno Branciforte and the Commander in Chief of the Fleet, Adm. Luigi Binelli Mantelli.
The new center, located inside the complex of Santa Rosa, near Rome, where the HQ of the Commander in Chief of the Fleet (CINCNAV) is based since 1972, was designed to meet the service’s strategic concept, based on the integrated surveillance of maritime areas of interest and the projection capabilities in the maritime environment.
The new MOC brings under the same roof the Maritime Surveillance Operations Center and the Air-Sea Operation Center.
The Air-Sea Operation Center controls the assigned forces (ships, submarines, aircraft) using a complex command and control system whose core is a Maritime Command and Control Information System.
The Maritime Surveillance Operations Center collects all data required to achieve the Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) and generate a Recognized Maritime Picture (RMP). The RMP is obtained by fusing the information collected from several “sensors”, as radars, warships, patrol aircraft and drones, as well as other national or allied command and control systems.
One of the most important sources is the coastal radar network, mainly located in southern Italy. This network is currently being upgraded with the installation of remotely-controlled next generation sensors featuring auto-tracking and ISAR (Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology.
The AIS (Automatic Identification System), is also used to improve the MSA. Information is gathered by ashore AIS stations as well as by warships and patrol aircraft, both equipped with their own interrogation systems.
Information about merchant shipping is shared through the Virtual Regional Maritime Traffic Center (V-RMTC). The V-RMTC is a virtual network that, resorting to Internet, interconnects the operational centers of the all the navies of the countries adhering to the initiative.
This network, provides unclassified information on merchant shipping consisting of 300 tons or more units.
Although it deals with commercial traffic, the V-RMTC has had an operational engagement in Lebanon, during Operation “Leonte”, when it allowed building a Recognized Maritime Merchant Picture for Lebanon (RMMP-L).
All images by Giovanni Maduli for The Aviationist.com
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Old Harriers and new choppers unleashed. Welcome aboard the Cavour aircraft carrier during “blue water ops”. January 27, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers.Tags: AW-101, Caio Duilio, Cavour, F-35, Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (550), Italian Navy, Joint Strike Fighter, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Marina Militare, McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, NH-90, STOVL
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On Jan. 25, along with the ambassadors of NATO members, EU, Middle East and Mediterranean partners, The Aviationist has had the opportunity to visit the Cavour aircraft carrier during “blue water ops” off Civitavecchia port.
The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to showcase one of the most important assets of the Italian Defense, one of the few European aircraft carriers that is not only important for military operations, but it is also a versatile platform that made its operative debut during the Haiti relief mission.
The Cavour symbolizes “a variety of possible uses that make it cost-effective” said Adm. Luigi Binelli Mantelli, future Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy.
Along with the F-35 program, the Italian Navy flagship was recently targeted by potential budget cuts as a consequence of the country’s financial crisis. However, “the AV-8B will fly until 2020, when they will be replaced by the F-35B. The MoD Di Paola has confirmed the project will continue. We don’t know how many aircraft we will get. The Air Force will get the majority, but even the Italian Navy will receive its planes” Binelli Mantelli said.
According to the Admiral, the F-35, is mainly an Air Force project, since the service needs the plane for its future. However, the Navy has joined the program and the future STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, that was removed from probation one year earlier than expected, will serve as a force multiplier and complement the capabilities of the ship, capabilities that were showed to the ambassadors, diplomats and media during a tactical event involving the AV-8B+ Harrier (both single and double seat), AW-101 and NH-90 helicopters, the San Marco Regiment special forces and the Caio Duilio, a radar-evading Anti-Air Warfare destroyer.
Giovanni Maduli took the following images for The Aviationist.
Adm. Di Paola is the first military in active service to be named Italy’s Defense Minister November 16, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Military Aviation.Tags: Adm. Di Paola, F-104, Italy Defense Minister, Marina Militare, Starfighter
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Former Italian Chief of the Defense Staff, Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola, has been named Italy’s new Defense Minister as part of a Cabinet named on Nov. 16 and led by Mario Monti, the former European commissioner who was appointed as Prime Minister after the resignation of Silvio Berlusconi.
Di Paola is one of the nonpolitical appointees that form the Monti’s Cabinet, whose task is to implement the package of economic cuts aimed at reducing Italy’s public debt and prevent a default. He was born in Naples, commanded the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) Submari
Currently serving as the chairman of NATO’s military committee, Di Paola is an expert in Anti-Submarine Warfare and has been the commander of the Garibaldi aicraft carrier.
He got the news that he was named Defense Minister, replacing former MoD Ignazio La Russa, while at Kabul, in Afghanistan, and he’s the first military in active service to be part of the Government since Jul. 24, 1943, when King Victor Emmanuel dismissed Benito Mussolini and appointed Gen. Pietro Badoglio as Prime Minister.
Although he is a “sailor” he has flown the Eurofighter Typhoon of the 4° Stormo as passenger on Sept. 29, 2004. Furthermore, his name will be forever linked to the history of the legendary Lockheed F-104 Starfighter: on Jul. 27, 2005, he flew with Col. Eugenio Lupinacci (on the right, in the image below), commander of the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (Italian Test Wing), on board the TF-104G-M MM54260/RS-08, during the Italian Air Force (and world’s) last F-104 Starfighter flight.
Images: 311° Gruppo Volo
Mini-Drones, SAMP/T, Storm Shadow and a Lotus “Evora” at the Italian Armed Forces Day November 7, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Drones, Italian Air Force, Military Aviation.Tags: Aeronautica Militare, Afghanistan, ASIO, Aster, Crex-B, drone, Esercito Italiano, Exercise, Italian Air Force, Italian Army, Italian Navy, Libya, Marina Militare, mini-Drone, MQ-9, Predator, RAF, Reaper, SAMP/T, Selex, Storm Shadow, UAS, Unified Protector, Unmanned Aerial System
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The Italian Armed Forces Day exhibition, held each year in Rome inside the Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo), always provides an interesting opportunity for a close look at the most interesting equipments of the four Armed Forces [Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force), Marina Militare (Italian Navy), Esercito Italiano (Italian Army), and Carabinieri (Military Police)], and of the Italian Armed Corps, as the Guardia Costiera (Coast Guard) and the Guardia di Finanza (Custom Police).
With the war in Libya just finished, the exhibition was particularly interesting because it showed some weapons systems involved in Unified Protector as well as some really rare hardware.
The most interesting equipment on display was the Italian Army’s Aster 30 SAMP/T (sol-air moyenne portée / terrestre), a medium range surface-to-air missile system. The SAMP/T is a mobile SAM used by France and Italy to protect expeditionary forces or High Value targets from missiles and ballistic missiles. As explained by the officer of the counter-air artillery school at the Army booth (that was a simplified SAMP-T control room interconnected to a centralised managing system fed by the battery’s radar and by the tracks transmitted by the ItAF sensors), the system has a range of about 120 km.
The SAMP/T will replace the obsolete Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk that was deployed to defend all the most recent No-Fly Zones in Italy, including the one enforced during the G-8 summit in L’Aquila in 2009.
Another interesting “object” that could be seen at the Army booth was the ASIO The Mini Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). The ASIO is a fully automatic, man portable in a compact lightweight back-pack (that includes a Ground Control Station and an antenna) electrical UAS. It was specifically designed for hovering near the battlefield, to provide surveillance, forward scout missions and Special Operation support.
Another mini-drone displayed by the Italian Army was the Crex-B micro electrically powered UAS. The drone was specifically designed to undertake Special Ops and real-time intelligence missions. It is capable of autonomous flight, navigation, and vertical landing. It can be readied for a new mission in a matter of minutes.
An interesting first at the Armed Forces Expo was the Italian Air Force Predator. This kind of UAS is employed by the 28° Gruppo of the 32° Stormo that is currently flying it in Afghanistan by means of Remote Split Operations from Amendola airbase the same base hosting the Mobile Ground Control Stations that commanded the new Predator B (MQ-9 Reaper) flying reconnaissance missions over Libya.
Making its debut at the exhibition was also the famous costly Storm Shadow cruise missile, that was widely employed in Libya by both the RAF (Royal Air Force), in somehow weird long round robin missions from the UK, and by the ItAF.
Another highlight was one of the two Lotus “Evora” S of the Carabinieri, a 350CV 250 km/h car delivered in July 2011. The car will be used for quick reaction alert as well as organ and blood transportation. These cars follow the Lamborghinis of the Polizia (Police) including the last Gallardo LP560 (560 CV 350 km/h) and the 19 armored Maserati ordered by the Ministry of Defense to replace the existing Lancia Thesis and Audi A6 whose choice caused plenty of controversy considered the difficult economic period and the defense budget cuts.
Below, some more pictures of the equipments on display (helos, Marte, AMX, Tornado, GBUs, etc).
Italian Navy AV-8B+ Harrier 20th anniversary special colour November 3, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aviation.Tags: Garibaldi, Grottaglie, GRUPAER, Jump Jet, Marina Militare, Operation Unified Protector, Special Colour, STOVL
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On Oct. 27, 2011, the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the GRUPAER (Gruppo Aerei Imbarcati), the squadron flying the Italian AV-8B+ Harriers. During the ceremony held at Grottaglie airbase and attented by the service’s Chief of Staff, Adm. Bruno Branciforte, a “Jump Jet” in a special colour scheme was presented.
As the following pictures taken by Raffaele Fusilli show, besides the Wolf (emblem of the squadron) painted on the tail, the aircraft (MM7224/1-19) wears the “30,000 flight hours” stencils just below the cockpit to mark the hours logged by the only Italian Navy squadron equipped with the Harrier since it received the aircraft in 1991.
Italian Navy AV-8B+ Harriers of the GRUPAER have recently taken part to the Operation Unified Protector in Libya, performing both DCA (Defensive Counter Air) and BAI (Battlefield Air Interdiction) out of the Garibaldi aircraft carried that has been involved in the air war in Libya from Mar. 25 to Jul. 27 with 7 Harriers, 1 EH-101, 2 SH-3Ds and 1 AB-212.
On Nov. 2, Adm. Branciforte welcomed the Italian Navy crews who took part to the war in Libya on board the Garibaldi docked at the Taranto Naval Station.
Republic of Korea Navy’s warships meet the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour in the Mediterranean Sea October 31, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, Italian Navy, Military Aviation.Tags: Cavour aircraft carrier, Italian Navy, Marina Militare, Naval Aviation, PASSEX, Republic of Korea Navy, ROK Navy, ROKN
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On Oct. 29, two warships of the Republic of Korea Navy or ROK Navy (ROKN) involved in a training campaign in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean met with the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour in the Ionian Sea, 60NM from the Italian coasts, in what has been the first Passex (Passage Exercise) between the two navies.
Image source: Marina Militare
The South Korean naval group was made by the Kang Gam Cham, a class Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin destroyer, and by the Cheonji, a Fast Combat Support Ship of the same class.
After a first radio contact on the radio, the ships have performed a series of tactical maneuvers which included take off and landing operations on both vessels by an Italian helicopter.
Italian Navy AV-8B+ Harrier 20th anniversary October 27, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Italian Navy, Military Aviation.Tags: F-35, F-35C, Garibaldi, Grottaglie, I GrupAer, Marina Militare, Operation Unified Protector, STOVL
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On Oct. 27, 2011, with a ceremony at Grottaglie airbase, near Taranto, the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Harrier in Italian service. The AV-8B+ Harriers of the I GrupAer have recently taken part to the Operation Unified Protector in Libya, performing both DCA (Defensive Counter Air) and BAI (Battlefield Air Interdiction) out of the Garibaldi aircraft carrier.
Above images courtesy of the Marina Militare
When I tweeted the news of the 20th anniversary on Twitter, many of my followers replied with comments dealing with the much criticised British Strategic Defense and Security Review that, more or less one year ago, scrapped the entire “Jump Jet” fleet, leaving the UK with no aircraft to equip aircraft carriers (hence, with no maritime strike capability) until 2020.
With the SDSR, the UK reduced its planned buy of F-35s and abandoned the F-35B STOVL (Short Take-Off Vertical Landing) version of the JSF for the carrier variant F-35C. The abandonment of the F-35B is tied to the decision to convert one of the two future British aircraft carriers in a “cat and trap” supercarrier, hence able to launch the planes by means of a catapult and to recover them by means of an arresting gear system.
According to the current plans, the ItAF will be equipped with both the conventional F-35A and the F-35B STOVL variant, while the Italian Navy will procure only the STOVL version for its current and future aircraft carriers. However, in spite of the current trials at sea, the future of the F-35B is quite uncertain and there is still a possibility that the Marina Militare will have to opt for a “Plan B” if the STOVL version will be scrapped at the end of the 2-year probation announced by former US Sec Def Robert Gates on Jan. 6, 2011.
What about purchasing some retired-but-still-perfectly-airworthy RAF Harrier GR9s before they are all sold for spares? The Italian Navy would lose the air defense capability (since the GR9 is an air-to-ground combat plane) but it will retain a jet plane capable to operate from its aircraft carriers in the strike and CAS (Close Air Support) roles.
I’d start negotiating a trade-in price….:-)
Last RAF/RN Harrier GR9 operational flight took place at RAF Cottesmore on Dec. 15, 2010. The following video is the best I’ve seen so far about the Jump Jet farewell flight.
F-35B first landing on USS Wasp – video with background music to mask noise level? October 4, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, F-35, Italian Navy, Military Aviation.Tags: aircraft carrier, F-18 Hornet, F-35B, Harrier, Marina Militare, Naval Aviation, STOVL, US Navy, USMC
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On Oct. 3, the F-35B test aircraft BF-2, piloted by Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Fred Schenk, performed the first at-sea vertical landing on USS Wasp’s (LHD 1) flight deck.
The first vertical landing marks the first step of the initial ship trials for the STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) version of the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter), whose goal is to collect data about the aircraft capabilities to perform take-offs and landing on a ship and its degree of integration with the vessel. The trials are expected to last two weeks.
Here’s the video of the first vertical landing.
You will notice that the landing procedure is almost the same used by the USMC (and Italian or Spanish Navy) AV-8B Harriers even if the F-35 should be much easier to fly and land than the “Jump Jet” thanks also to some hi-tech sensors and, above all, to the futuristic pilot’s helmet-mounted display system (HMDS), that combines images coming from a set of cameras mounted on the jet’s outer surfaces providing a sort of X-ray vision.
This post’s title is defiant but, oddly, the video doesn’t let you hear the aircraft engine noise that has been one of the issue of the STOVL JSF. According to some studies the F-35B could be two to three times louder than another modern fighter jet raising noise concerns for those onboard ship, both above and below deck.
As many already know by now, the F-35B si the most costly version of the already costly F-35B. But it is also vital to the USMC (and to the other foreign services, like the Marina Militare) that needs it to replace both the Harrier and the F-18 Hornet. So vital that there’s no “Plan B” if the F-35B does not survive after the two-year probation period that then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates placed upon the variant when it encountered technical and noise problems and fell behind the testing schedule.
The USMC needs an aircraft that can be based everywhere and able to support Marine ground operation from a forward located amphibious assault ship, an aircraft that would double the number of aircraft carriers able to carry strike aircraft. However the service has also a plan to buy 80 Carrier variant models, to support the Navy’s carrier fleet, even if the F-35B will be also able to operate from a USN supercarrier.
Noteworthy, the USS Wasp, already involved in the at-sea trials of the V-22, was stationed on the US East Coast, at a short
helicopter ride from New York Harbor (along with the USS New York and the USS San Antonio) to provide relief and support after Hurricane Irene.
So, if the F-35C and (probably) B represent the future of the naval aviation, the F-18 both Legacy (C version) and Rhino/Super Hornet (E/F models) are the present. The following video provides a glimpse into today’s flying activities of a US Navy squadron (the VF-211) embarked on USS Enteprise.
Italian Call 2011: an ISAF-like scenario to train European crews in a “hot, dry and dusty environment” adopting common procedures June 22, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aviation, Military Aviation.Tags: A129, A212, AB-412, ALE, Aviation Battalion, Aviazione Leggera Esercito, Belgian Army, CH-53, Czech Air Force, Esercito Italiano, German Army, IED, Improvised Explosive Devices, ISAF, Italian Army, Italian Call 2011, Italian Navy, Mangusta, Marina Militare, MEDEVAC, Mi-17, Mi-35, NVG, QRF, Quick Reaction Force, RAM, Rockets and Mortars, SAFIRE, Small Arms Fire, Viterbo
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Italian Call 2011 is the name of a Multinational Helicopter Exercise held at Viterbo, Italy, from May 23 to Jun. 9, 2011, as part of the European Defense Agency’s Helicopter Training Program. It follows two past successful exercises: GAP 2009, held in France, and AZOR 2010, held in Spain.
The exercise had the purpose of practing missions and procedures that might be required on current and future operations with a special focus on multiship formations in multinational joint environment: Medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), QRF (Quick Reaction Force), SAR (Search And Rescue), troops insertion, combat air support to ground troops, Airmobile operations.
In particular, the aim of the Exercise was to train European crews and staff to operate “in a hot, dry and dusty environment adopting common procedures while operating as joint/combined Aviation Battalion in an exercise Crisis Response Operations (CRO)”. The ISAF Theater of Operations in Afghanistan was in fact used as Exercise Scenario.
Furthermore, Italian Call 2011 provided an important opportunity for helicopters operators to share information and best practices, to conduct multi-ship formations, NVG sorties, Target hand-over operations with Troops in Contact (TIC), escort and scout missions as well as live firing exercises.
The proposed scenario saw a multinational Aviation Battalion tasked to deploy in Area of Operations (AOO) under a Combined multinational command. Prior to the deployment phase multinational units were concentrated in Viterbo army airfield in order to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC) and to integrate all assigned assets into the Task Force (TF). Aviation assets would be deployed in the Main Operating Base (MOB) in order to support ground forces.
Operating from a Forward Operating Base (FOB) the Aviation Battalion assets are called on a daily basis to operate to support ground units with fire suppression, Medical Evacuation and convoy escort missions. Local insurgents clans and several mixed terrorist elements are operating in the AOO with a wide array of threats: Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), Small Arms Fire (SAFIRE) and Rockets and Mortars (RAM) mainly attacking convoys. Regional policy was to set up further platoon-company size strong points along the main supply routes and around the main urbanized areas and to re-supply them by air and by ground as a daily routine activity. The Aviation Battalion was also tasked to escort ground convoys and to re-supply allied positions.
A total of 32 helicopters beloning to three classes were involved:
- CH-47, CH-53 (more than 10 tonnes payload);
- NH-90, EH-101 Merlin e Mi-17 (5-10 tonnes payload),
- A-109 & AB-412 (less than 5 tons payload).
Besides Italy, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany and Slovenia participated with aircrafts and crews, with Lithuania and Greece having observers for a total of around 350 military.
Here’s a list of the participating assets as provided by the special blog published and updated on a daily basis to provide information and news about the Exercise (note that the list was not updated since it contains only 29 helos).
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ITALY
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4 x A 129
2 x CH47C
2 x NH90
1 x SH-3D
4 x AB-212
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AUSTRIA
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3 x AB212
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BELGIUM
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3 x A109
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CZECH REPUBLIC
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4 x Mi 17
2 x Mi 24
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GERMANY
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2 x CH-53
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SLOVENIA
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2 x Cougar
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The Exercise took place within the huge R53 (“Romeo 53″) restricted airspace, an area that “surrounds” the Viterbo airport and that is dedicated to the military training activity of Italian Army helicopters. All the participating units could get informed about ATC and planning procedures for IT CALL 2011 thank to the ENAC (Ente Nazionale Assistenza al Volo) “Self Briefing” platform which enables real time Web access to AIS, Meteo, AFTN and ATFM info via Internet.
More than 600 flying hours were flown during Italian Call 2011 with 50 daily sorties (on average) and a total consumption of 450.000 lts of fuel.
Thanks to the help of Col. Massimo Meola and Lt.Col. Giovanni Ramunno of the Italian Army, contributor Giovanni Maduli had the opportunity to report from Viterbo and to take the following interesting images of Exercise Italian Call 2011.
AV-8B+ Harrier walk around February 16, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Italian Navy, Military Aviation.Tags: Air Weapons Training Installation, AWTI, Decimomannu, Grottaglie, I GrupAer, Italian Navy, Marina Militare, Military Aviation, MK76, practice bombs, Reparto Sperimentale e di Standardizzazione del Tiro Aereo, RSSTA
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A recent visit to Decimomannu airbase provided the opportunity to perform a quick walk around of the AV-8B+ and TAV-8B Harrier of the Marina Militare (Italian Navy, ItNy) deployed there to perform air-to-ground training in the Sardinian ranges. The aircraft belonged to the I GrupAer based in Grottaglie near Taranto. Note the MK76 25 lbs practice bomb attached to the pylons of the single seaters.
