GIOIA DEL COLLE – In recent days, the Apulian air base of Gioia del Colle (BA) was the setting for a significant joint training that featured the personnel and aircraft of the 36° Stormo Caccia of the Italian Air Force and the elite units of the Hellenic Air Force.
The Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT)
At the heart of the operations was the activity known as “Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT)”, a cornerstone of modern training that allows pilots to engage with weapon systems of different technological characteristics. The exercise involved a total of six aircraft, with the participation of the following units:
- 36° Stormo Caccia (IT): Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
- 335° Squadron (GR): F-16 aircraft.
- 332° Squadron (GR): Rafale aircraft.
The simulated air-to-air combat engagements allowed for the refinement of fundamental operational tactics to ensure air superiority in extremely complex and dynamic contexts.
Operational Scenarios and NATO Integration
During the planning phase, capability packages of increasing difficulty were prepared to simulate different types of missions:
- OCA (Offensive Counter Air): Offensive air attack missions.
- DCA (Defensive Counter Air): Airspace defense missions.
The activity, as reported by Ten. Fulvio Mallardi, aimed to increase levels of operational readiness and consolidate cooperation among the assets of the Atlantic Alliance. The exercise also confirmed the effectiveness of DACT in testing the Command and Control (C2) structure and the coordination of national air defense systems.
The Role of the 36° Stormo
The 36° Stormo Caccia is under the Comando delle Forze da Combattimento (CFC) in Milan and represents one of the five Wings of the Italian Air Force tasked with ensuring national air defense and the NATO Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) service. Its mission is to maintain the constant operational efficiency of weapon systems and personnel through the continuous updating of operational procedures.
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