Air Weapons Training Installation
Reparto Sperimentale e di Standardizzazione al Tiro Aereo

Decimomannu Air Base permanently gets Italian and German Air Force Flight Wings which perform training activity using the Air to Air and Air to Ground Range other than air combat traning with the Air Combat Manouvering Range (A.C.M.I.). On irregular bases, personnel and aircrafts of many Allied Air Forces ( Danesi , Spagnole , Inglesi , Turche , Olandesi , Francesi , Americane ) are deployed on the Base.

Choppers like AB-212 from 670° Italian Rescue Squadron and one aircraft Aermacchi MB339 given the Italian Detachment are the only aircrafts permanently deployed in Deci: everyone else belongs to different wings that are deployed on three-weekly base (togheter with pilots and personnel) coming from their own Bases in Italy or from the rest of Europe.

In order to perform the operational activities, Air Weapons Training Installation (under Italian responability) provides coordination of different activities, management of flight missions, use of different ranges and logistic support. Only Italian Military Personnel is under the responsibility of Italian Commander, Air Combat Manouvering Installation is managed by US Personnel, while The Operation Center is managed by an International Staff.

All the flight activities are performed during 10 hours day time and 2 hours night time. The amount of this activity is about 25.000 yearly flight in addition to 7.000 cargo system flight for support activity. Every A.W.T.I. User Nation provides its own personnel permanently deployed to give Flight Wings assistance.

In order to suit A.W.T.I. to the possibilities of moderm military aircrafts, very important struttural improvements have been set up. Among them I woul like to mention the new HRS refuelling system using pantographs along the flight line. It is one of the biggest in Europe using 51 refuelling points.

From: Aeronautica Militare Italiana