English translation by Frank McMeiken

On Tuesday 28 June, the Stato Maggiore Aeronautica organised a “Media Day” at the Amendola, inviting a selection of specialist journalists from the aviation sector, amongst whom was a representative from www.giorgiociarini.it. The motive behind this event was the presentation of the new UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) MQ-9 Predator B (Reaper) model, serving with the Aeronautica Militare, and recently delivered to the 28° Gruppo Velivoli Teleguidati of the 32° Stormo. The opportunity was also taken during the occasion to deliver an outline of the activities performed in this particular arena by remotely piloted aircraft, and especially concerning their use in operational theatres, such as, in the past, Iraq, and, at present, in Afghanistan, where the systems have achieved more than satisfactory results. The Predator programme was derived from the requirement to deploy a modern and effective UAV component. These particular aircraft was capable of conducting extended duration surveillance and reconnaissance missions over wide areas or specific positions, benefitting from the fact that the piloting and management of the sensors is performed from a ground station via dedicated electronic links. From 2001, the Aeronautica Militare launched its Predator A programme, with the intention of acquiring some initial experience in the sector, and with the specific intent of developing long range surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The programme envisaged the acquisition of six RQ 1B and two ground control stations. On the occasions of the arrival of the first examples, in December 2005, the 28° Gruppo Velivoli Teleguidati “Le Streghe” as re-constituted, and posted to Amendola under the control of the 32° Stormo. The 28° Gruppo had formerly operated under the 3° Stormo at Villafranca until being placed ‘in quadro’ in 1997. A remotely piloted aircraft system comprises four individual elements: the aircraft, the sensors or payload, the ground station for the control of the asset, and the telecommunications segment for the exchange of data. The Predator A aircraft is 8.2 metres long, 1.82 metres high, and has a wingspan of 14.8 metres. It can carry up to 300 kg of fuel, which enables it to remain in flight for over 20 hours, maintaining a speed of 135-160 Km/h and operating at altitudes up to 8,000 metres. The aircraft is fitted with electro-optical and infra-red sensors which permit it to conduct missions in any lighting condition. Its photographic system comprises a MTS-A EO/IR TV camera. It is, furthermore, equipped with a Lynx SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) capable of detecting both moving and static surface targets, a SIGINT/ESM (Signal Intelligence — Electronic Support Measures) system capable of gathering information through the analysis of signals, and finally a GPS (Global Positioning System) and an INS (Inertial Navigation System). Both aircraft and sensors are managed from a GCS (Ground Control Station), which comprises a group of sub-systems and workstations utilised for the planning and conduct of the mission. The station is simply a shelter, which can be carried on a truck, fitted with two synthetic aperture radars and a satellite receiver, three mission-management consoles (one for the pilot, one for the sensor operator, and a multi-function position). Control is achieved through either a LOS (Line of-sight) connection using a C-band data-link or with satellite control, using the Ku band. The telecommunications segment guarantees in real time the guidance of the aircraft from the ground control station and, in the opposite sense, the flow of video imagery from the reconnaissance and surveillance systems. In 2004, at the end of deliveries of the first system and the qualification of the personnel, the Stato Maggiore decided to send the Predator A to the Iraqi operational theatre with the aim of supporting and protecting the Italian contingent stationed in the country, a mission which was concluded in 2006. While the Predator, engaged in Afghanistan since June 2007 as part of the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) mission, has continued these activities in the same way as in the previous Iraqi theatre, conducting aerial reconnaissance in particular environments where, due to the particular topography of the territory, communications are inadequate or difficult, while both climatic conditions and hostile threats remain strong. The presence of UAVs is particularly important to the forces on the ground. The use of the Predator A in Iraq and Afghanistan has demonstrated the high level of effectiveness of the system, in virtue of the possibility to remain for long periods over areas under surveillance while not staying excessively close to the area of interest, and delivering high definition real time imagery to the troops on the ground. These notable characteristics of the aircraft were also utilised on the occasion of the Italian-Russian summit held in Bari in 2007. In May 2011 the Predators assigned to Task Group “Astore”, inserted into the Joint Air Task Force (JATF) reporting to the Regional Command at Herat exceeded 6,000 flying hours, achieved in more than 750 missions flown between 2007 and the present day on behalf of the Italian and allied contingents of the ISAF. With the passage of time, the system has been updated to improve both its performance and to eliminate some characteristics which are already proving obsolescent. In 2009 it was decided to undertake an “upgrade” classified as A-Plus: this variant was used operationally for the first time during the G8 Summit in l’Aquila, and is presently operational in Afghanistan. The excellent results achieved to date have driven the considerations surrounding an increase in operational capability, already well proven with the Predator A, through the acquisition of an aircraft with an overall superior capacity. In current operational scenarios, the military instrument is required to deliver a variety of security and defence roles in order to fulfil the functions of prevention, advanced defence, and surveillance of national airspace, territorial waters, and land territories (Homeland Defence), plus the projection of operational capacity in order to assure safety and stability in areas outside national borders (Expeditionary). In this light, the role of the airborne reconnaissance and surveillance component based on remotely piloted aircraft is a vital element, contributing in a decisive manner to the understanding of the activities and movements along surface communication networks or in specific areas of interest. In order to achieve this objective, the Italian Ministero della Difesa has opted to extend the Predator programme, but this time through the acquisition of six new UAVs in the Predator B version (designated MQ-9 Reaper by the USAF and Royal Air Force) with the related sensors which are capable of operating in any light or weather situation. These can deliver an even high level performance than those in the A-Plus, greater availability of the ground control stations, further satellite communications apparatus, as well as the potential to enable the continuous use of these assets in two out-of-area missions together with an operational/training component on Italian national territory. The Predator B is characterised by a high grade of technological development, and will be capable of performing a wide spectrum of missions with notable operational flexibility, notable versatility, significant redundancy, and established operational effectiveness. In particular, the system will support operations against improvised explosive devices, which represent the most insidious and common threats in present operational environments. A further element extends the capacities of these assets to include the performance of missions in the presence of Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and Radiological contamination, wherein there is an elevated risk of human casualties. The first Predator B equipment, two aircraft and two ground stations, is already operational, and it is planned that by the end of 2012 the outstanding examples will be delivered from the United States to the base at Amendola, the home of the 32° Stormo, completing the fleet of 12 aircraft. At Amendola engineers from the manufacturer, GA-ASI (General Atomics Aeronautical System Inc.), together with staff from the Aeronautica Militare, will undertake the necessary work to re-assemble and set up the systems in the shortest time possible, ready to be used by the crews, who are already “combat ready”. They have attained this status in the United States, at Holloman AFB, while a second phase under the supervision of American personnel is planned to be held directly on the base. The already operational aircraft have achieved IOC (Initial Operational Capability), and can be mission-deployed without any particular difficulty: they are presently serving over Libya, integrated with NATO assets in the ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) sector. The B variant of the Predator, besides the significant enhancements made to its sensors, and particularly the Raytheon MTS-B long-range electro-optical sensor, can also carry a notable range of armament which, utilising the six underwing points, can be composed of intelligent GBU-12 Paveway bombs or GBU-38 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) or 14 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. The dimensions of the MQ-9 are substantially larger than the RQ-1, in fact, the wingspan has been increased to 20 metres, the length to 12 metres, and its maximum weight to 4,760 kg. The B version cal climb to 15,000 metres, and its cruising speed is significantly higher that the Predator A, at some 400 km/h. With 1,300 kg of fuel it can fly for 15 hours at medium altitude, but at high altitude, the endurance can be extended to between 24 and 40 flying hours. The Predator B’s weapons capability has been widely requested by the Italian forces, but the possibility of acquiring it seems for now a distant hope, influenced by strictly political factors. To conclude this article, mention should be made of the Amendola base, home to the 32° Stormo “Armando Boetto”, and which is the largest air base in Italy, covering around 1,050 hectares. With more than 1,200 military and civilian staff on the base, according to the plans of the Stato Maggiore it is destined to receive the Lockheed Martin F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter), the fifth generation multi-role fighter. Besides the aforementioned 28° Gruppo Velivoli Teleguidati, the Stormo also parents the 13° and 101° Gruppo, both equipped with the Alenia/EMBRAER AMX light attack fighter, many of which have been upgraded to the ACOL version (Aggiornamento delle Capacita’ Logistiche ed Operative – Logistical and Operational Capacity Upgrade), and fitted with avant-guard navigation capability and night attack capacity through the use of NVG (Night Vision Goggles) integrated with the pilot’s helmet. Recently, moreover, the new Reccelite reconnaissance pod has been brought into service, manufactured in Israel by RAFAEL. The Reccelite is able to acquire imagery in almost any lighting condition, by day or by night, and to record them or transmit them through a C-band ROVER to a remote station. Thanks to an inertial GPS system, it is capable of capturing the images automatically on the basis of the pre-loaded instructions in the “Mission Plan”, although it can, naturally, be manually managed by the pilot. It also offers the pilot the great advantage of having the imagery appear directly on the MFD (Multi Function Display) in the cockpit.