Grifone 2022 international SAR exercise successfully completed in Northern Italy
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| Spanish Air Force NH-90 ready to take off from San Giorgio Picentino Airport, Northern Italy, for a "Grifone 2022" mission. |
Dozens of helicopters and hundreds of rescuers recently conducted multiple operations in the mountainous area southwest of the city of Piacenza, Northern Italy. They trained to save lives as part of the Grifone 2022 international exercise which ran from June 13-17, 2022.
The Grifone is an annual Search and Rescue (SAR) exercise planned and conducted by the Italian Air Force through the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC)/Comando Operazioni Aerospaziali (COA, Aerospace Operations Command) as part of the international agreement SAR.MED.OCC. (SAR Western Mediterranean), with the support of the National Corps of Alpine and Speleological Rescue (CNSAS). It usually involves a wide range of day and night missions which include the embarkation and disembarkation of personnel in the area of operations and activities with winch.
The main purpose of the Grifone 2022 was to consolidate the synergies between the Air Force and the other Armed Forces, State Corps and public departments to constantly improve techniques and procedures for Air Search and Rescue operations, in order to save lives. The international footprint of the exercise was further underlined by the participation of observers from various countries.
The San Giorgio Piacentino military airport, in the province of Piacenza, served both as a Deployed Operating Base (DOB) and as a Posto Base Avanzato (PBA, Advanced Base). Thanks to the makeshift heliport set up inside the base, the aircraft and rescue teams were able to reach the operations area in a short time.
The Grifone is an annual Search and Rescue (SAR) exercise planned and conducted by the Italian Air Force through the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC)/Comando Operazioni Aerospaziali (COA, Aerospace Operations Command) as part of the international agreement SAR.MED.OCC. (SAR Western Mediterranean), with the support of the National Corps of Alpine and Speleological Rescue (CNSAS). It usually involves a wide range of day and night missions which include the embarkation and disembarkation of personnel in the area of operations and activities with winch.
The main purpose of the Grifone 2022 was to consolidate the synergies between the Air Force and the other Armed Forces, State Corps and public departments to constantly improve techniques and procedures for Air Search and Rescue operations, in order to save lives. The international footprint of the exercise was further underlined by the participation of observers from various countries.
The San Giorgio Piacentino military airport, in the province of Piacenza, served both as a Deployed Operating Base (DOB) and as a Posto Base Avanzato (PBA, Advanced Base). Thanks to the makeshift heliport set up inside the base, the aircraft and rescue teams were able to reach the operations area in a short time.
The Grifone 2022 included over 10 helicopters: Italian Air Force HH-139 and TH-500; Italian Army UH-205; Italian Navy EH-101; Italian Army of Carabinieri AW-139; Italian Customs Police AW-139 and AW-169; Italian National Police AB-212; Italian Fire Brigade AW-139; Spanish Air Force NH-90 and CN-235 VIGMA D-4. In less than a week, they flew 44 hours of flight over about fifty sorties.
The rescue teams came from the Alpine and Speleological Rescue of Emilia-Romagna. They worked together with Italian Air Force Riflemen and personnel belonging to the Italian Army, the Italian Customs Police, the Italian Fire Brigade and Volunteer Nurses of the Italian Red Cross.
Text and Pics: Matteo Sanzani
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