15° Stormo

I dati storici riguardanti l’83° Gruppo sono molto incerti, per evitare di proporre qualcosa di errato riportiamo solo un paio di dati che trovano un oggettivo riscontro.
La costituzione avviene nel 1925 ad Augusta (Taranto).
Nel 1937 il Gruppo è collocato in Sicilia con due Squadriglie alle proprie dipendenze.
Nel 1980 l’83° Gruppo viene ricostituito sulla base aerea di Rimini dopo molti anni dalla sua chiusura, da questo momento, grazie all’assegnazione dell’elicottero HH 3F, inizia l’attività SAR.
Nel 1995 l’83° acquisisce la capacità Combat SAR grazie all’introduzione della versione “Bravo” del Pelican.
Nel 2010 con il trasferimento del 15° Stormo a Cervia, l’83° è trasferito da Rimini sull’aeroporto di Cervia.
Una data importante per il Reparto è il 10 marzo del 2014 quando inizia ad assicurare la prontezza d’impiego per il servizio SAR con il nuovo elicottero HH 139A, dopo oltre trent’anni di servizio con il longevo e instancabile Sikorsky HH 3F “Pelican”.
Nella sua storia pluridecennale il Centro SAR ha partecipato alla maggior parte delle missioni svolte all’estero e soprattutto si è prodigato a soccorrere la popolazione italiana durante le maggiori catastrofi naturali dal 1980 in poi.
Ripercorriamole in maniera sintetica:
1980 terremoto in Irpinia
1984 operazione “Achille Lauro”
1993 operazione “Restore Hope” in Somalia
1994 alluvione in Piemonte
1996 alluvione in Versilia
1997-1999 operazione “Alba” in Albania/Kosovo
2000 alluvione in Piemonte
2002 incidente aereo grattacielo Pirelli a Milano
2003-2006 operazione “Antica Babilonia” in Iraq
2009 terremoto in Abruzzo
2012 terremoto in Emilia Romagna

English translation

The historical data concerning the 83° Gruppo (Squadron) are very uncertain, to avoid proposing something wrong we report only a couple of data that find an objective feedback.
The constitution took place in 1925 in Augusta (Taranto).
In 1937 the Gruppo was placed in Sicilia with two Squadriglie (Flights) under its command.
In 1980 the 83° Gruppo is reconstituted on the air base of Rimini after many years from its closing, from this moment, thanks to the allocation of the helicopter HH 3F, begins the activity SAR.
In 1995, the 83° acquired the Combat SAR capability by introducing the "Bravo" version of the Pelican.
In 2010, with the transfer of the 15° Stormo (Wing) to Cervia, the 83° was transferred from Rimini to Cervia airport.
An important date for the Unit is 10 March 2014 when it begins to ensure the readiness of use for SAR service with the new helicopter HH 139A, after more than thirty years of service with the long-lived and tireless Sikorsky HH 3F "Pelican".
In its decades-long history, the Centro SAR (SAR Centre) has participated in most of the missions carried out abroad and, above all, has worked to rescue the Italian population during the major natural disasters since 1980.
Let’s review them briefly:
1980 earthquake in Irpinia
1984 operation "Achille Lauro"
1993 operazione “Restore Hope” in Somalia
1994 flood in Piemonte
1996 flood in Versilia
1997-1999 operation "Alba" in Albania/Kosovo
2000 flood in Piemonte
2002 plane crash skyscraper Pirelli in Milano
2003-2006 operation "Ancient Babylon" in Iraq
2009 earthquake in Abruzzo
2012 earthquake in Emilia Romagna
The 83° Centro SAR is the operational "arm" of the 15° Stormo at its headquarters in Cervia, its structure is slightly different from the other peripheral Centri SAR because the maintenance and logistics are entrusted to other entities located on the same Romagna air base.
Typically devoted to operational aspects, the 83° Centro is based on two Squadriglie (141ª and 147ª) and manages directly only the secretariat with the tasks of Servizio Amministrativo (Administrative Service).
The equipment of helicopters is based on the Leonardo (AgustaWestland) HH 139A, the means available are four, a number slightly higher than the standard since used in the consortium with the 81° Centro Addestramento Equipaggi (81^st Crew Training Center). The management of the helicopter for both training and operational purposes is coordinated and established directly by the two Gruppi di Volo (Flying Squadron) with the 915° Gruppo Efficienza Aeromobili (GEA or Aircraft Engineering Squadron).
A HH 139A is regularly kept ready, 24 hours a day for 365 days a year, to intervene at the request of the Comando Operazioni Aeree (COA or Air Operations Command) in search and rescue missions (SAR).
The area covered by the helicopter and crews of the 83° is very large, covers all the north and much of central Italy, the southern border of intervention is traced by a hypothetical line from east to west from Pescara on the Adriatic Sea and arriving at the island of Elba, the northern boundary is established by the Alps.
Considering that the territory covered is very wide, it is always necessary to take into account the range of action of the helicopters, established in a maximum of four hours of autonomy.
The tasks assigned to the Unit are equal to all SAR, Search and Rescue (SAR), Health Transport, MEDical EVACuation (MEDEVAC), Slow Movers Interceptor (SMI) and Transport Centres, for Combat SAR (C/SAR) and Personnel Recovery (PR) the same as already highlighted in the text of the main page; In summary all crews are allowed to perform these roles, but due to the limitations of the HH 139A these can be performed with other machines, for example the HH 101A.
In the last few years, the 83° Centro SAR has been protagonist, like the other Centri, in very complex real operations, on all the rescue operations to the ferry Norman Atlantic (only with crews), and certainly with the earthquake of 2016 and the snow emergency in Abruzzo.
To maintain the training level of the personnel of the Unit, the 83° crews, only in 2017, participated in the exercises "Grifone" of Dobbiaco, "Air Centric Personnel Recovery Course" of Rivolto, "Tactical Leadership Programme" of Albacete and "Helicopter Emergency Medical Service" of Massa Cinquale, in addition to these training events, the Centro carries out regular training activities with all major actors in the national sector.