Today, we visited 5 Reggimento at Casarsa della Delizia, not far from Venice. There, we were greeted by Major Fabio Griffi.

There is a large army helicopter presence at the airport, and it was interesting to learn that this airport is managed by the army – the only one that is. By ‘managed’, I mean the control tower and all the handling facilities, etc. There are not many civilian flights, but airliners are handled, and the army is busy.



The first of the two units present that we visited was 49 Gruppo (“Capricorno”). They fly the Agusta A.129 “Mangusta”. We were told that it has good handling and is simple to manoeuvre, which was evident from some of the flying we observed. Highly agile, manoeuvrable, and almost aerobatic. The Regiment has deployed detachments of A.129s to Somalia, Mozambique, the Balkans, and Albania, and they have flown from the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi.

The first of the two units present that we visited was 49 Gruppo (“Capricorno”). They fly the Agusta A.129 “Mangusta”. We were told that it has good handling and is simple to manoeuvre, which was evident from some of the flying we observed. Highly agile, manoeuvrable, and almost aerobatic. The Regiment has deployed detachments of A.129s to Somalia, Mozambique, the Balkans, and Albania, and they have flown from the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi.

The A.129 can carry a variety of stores, such as 81mm anti-tank rockets (which attain supersonic speeds). The 20mm three-barrelled cannon mounted in a turret at the front is fed not by a drum but by a belt that runs along the side of the aircraft and holds 500 rounds. This design eases the flow of ammunition to the gun. A 7.62mm gun carries 300 rounds and fires in bursts of 10, 15, or 20 shells.

The A.129 can carry tanks to extend its range (particularly useful for ferry flights to ‘the front line’). There is limited space on the left-hand side for crew items, so on deployment, it typically carries an auxiliary pannier. The take-off weight is 4,600 kg. There are four hardpoints enabling a variety of weaponry to be carried. These might be Hydra unguided rockets (four per pod), the Spike missile (a guided anti-tank missile with an 8 km range), air-to-air missiles such as the Mistral or Stinger, or two 7.62mm gun pods, each with 300 rounds.

The A.129 is equipped with a TVC camera for infrared viewing, enabling it to launch armament 12 to 15 km from the target (or 8 km with wire-guided missiles). The pilot has helmet-mounted controls, communicates via UHF, HF, and VHF, and the aircraft is equipped with various protective systems.

Ground crews carry out inspections every 25 flying hours. This can be undertaken at Casarsa della Delizia. After 100 hours and 200 hours, more extensive inspections are required, and at 300 hours, major inspections are carried out at the depot level.

The second unit we visited was 27 Gruppo, which flies the UH.90 tactical transport helicopter of the Army (the CH-47F Chinook being the heavy-lift element).

The unit has been deployed to Iraq (taking turns with 25 Gruppo at Rimini), and four helicopters were in Iraq at the time of our visit. The UH.90s are used to move people and materials in northern Iraq, primarily near Kurdistan.

The UH.90’s protection includes bullet-proofing in critical areas. It can carry 7.62mm mini-guns mounted in side doors and has a rear ramp for loading equipment and troops. Its capacity is 10,000 kg. The UH.90 has a crew of four: two pilots, one gunner, and one flight engineer. It has a glass cockpit and can be flown fully automatically if required.

The ground crew – engineers and technicians – ensure the UH.90 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 52 weeks a year for emergencies, community support, and search and rescue (SAR) work.

The helicopter is equipped with a hook, winch, and hoist, and it can also be adapted for firefighting. Its NVG capability has proven useful for flying in low cloud and fog, and the infrared capability within the helmet has been invaluable.

The UH.90 can carry medical or rescue teams, and the Army at Casarsa della Delizia has formed a strong bond with the local community. This bond was first established following a major earthquake in 1961 when the Regiment helped rescue people and provide supplies to affected communities.

This visit to 5 Reggimento was highly informative. We had previously known little about their work (the Regiments at Viterbo and Rimini often come to mind, as Rome and Rimini are more popular tourist destinations). The extent of the work carried out here and abroad was fascinating to learn about and witness.

As mentioned earlier, this is a large army base with significant flying activity, often in mountainous terrain with associated poor weather conditions. This requires skilled flying and operations, and, considering the variety of work supporting the local community and emergency services, it is undoubtedly rewarding for all those stationed at the airfield.

Our thanks to Major Fabio and his colleagues for taking the time to show us their operations, explain the range of work carried out, and extend their hospitality throughout our visit.

Author: Peter Nelson

Photography: Peter Nelson & Jacqueline Rogers