page_title: Structure of the Italian Air Force
section_title: 1st Special Operations Air Brigade
hierarchical_section_title: Structure of the Italian Air Force / Chief of the Air Force General Staff / Air Fleet Command / Support and Special Forces Command / 1st Special Operations Air Brigade
caption_attribution_description: AgustaWestland HH-101A Caesar (Mk611) MM81864 / 15-01 (cn 50257/CSAR01)
context_page_description: The article provides an overview of the entire chain of command and organization of the Italian Air Force as of 1 January 2018 and includes all currently active units. The Armed Forces of Italy are under the command of the Italian Supreme Defense Council, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The Italian Air Force is commanded by the Chief of the Air Force General Staff or "Capo di Stato Maggiore dell’Aeronautica Militare" in Rome.
  The source for this article is the booklet "L’ORDINAMENTO IN AERONAUTICA MILITARE", which is published every year by the Air Force General Staff for the students of the Air Force Academy. The booklet for 2017-2018 in PDF-format can be found at on the website of the Italian Air Force
context_section_description: 1ª Brigata Aerea Operazioni Speciali "Vezio Mezzetti" (1st Special Operations Air Brigade), at Cervia Air Base
   9° Stormo "Francesco Baracca" (9th Combat Search and Rescue Wing), at Grazzanise Air Base
  21° Gruppo Volo (21st Squadron) with AB-212 helicopters (to be replaced with AW-101A helicopters)
  Gruppo Fucilieri dell'Aria (Air-Fusiliers Squadron)
  909° Gruppo Efficienza Aeromobili (909th Maintenance Squadron)
   15° Stormo "Stefano Cagna" (15th Search and Rescue Wing), at Cervia Air Base
  23° Gruppo Volo (23rd Squadron) with AW-101A helicopters
  80° Centro CSAR (80th Combat Search and Rescue Center), at Decimomannu Air Base with AW-139A helicopters
  81° Centro Addestramento Equipaggi (81st Crew Training Center), at Cervia Air Base with AW-139A and AW-101A helicopters
  82° Centro CSAR (82nd Combat Search and Rescue Center), at Trapani Air Base with AW-139A helicopters
  83° Gruppo CSAR (83rd Combat Search and Rescue Squadron), at Cervia Air Base with AW-139A helicopters
  84° Centro CSAR (84th Combat Search and Rescue Center), at Gioia del Colle Air Base with AW-139A helicopters
  85° Centro CSAR (85th Combat Search and Rescue Center), at Pratica di Mare Air Base with AW-139A helicopters
  415° Gruppo Servizi Tecnico-Operativi (415th Technical Services Squadron)
  515° Gruppo Servizi Logistico-Operativi (515th Logistic Services Squadron)
  915° Gruppo Efficienza Aeromobili (915th Maintenance Squadron)
  Gruppo Protezione delle Forze (Force Protection Squadron)
   16° Stormo Protezione delle Forze (16th Force Protection Wing), at Martina Franca Air Base
  Battaglione Fucilieri dell'Aria (Air-Fusiliers Battalion)
  Gruppo Addestramento STO/FP (Survive to Operate / Force Protection Training Squadron)
  Centro Cinofili dell’Aeronautica Militare (Air Force Canine Center), at Grosseto Air Base
  416° Gruppo Servizi Tecnico-Operativi (916th Technical Services Squadron)
  516° Gruppo Servizi Logistico-Operativi (916th Logistic Services Squadron)
   17° Stormo Incursori (17th Raider Wing), at Furbara Air Base (Tier-1 Special Forces)
  Gruppo Operativo (Operational Squadron)
  Gruppo Addestramento (Training Squadron)
  Gruppo Servizi di Supporto (Support Services Squadron)
  Compagnia Protezione delle Forze (Force Protection Company)
caption: AW-101A 15-01 of the 15° Stormo
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