Airforces

CH-47C ‘E.I.836’ (MM81441) conducts soft boat release operations in the waters of Lake Bolsena.

Chinook training with ‘Aldebaran’

AFM spent a day training with the Chinooks of 3° REOS

and the elite 185° Reggimento Artiglieria Paracadutisti

(Artillery Paratroopers Regiment) ‘Folgore’.

The training missions began at 0700hrs and ran well

into the night; the teams conducted fast roping, day and

night, over challenging terrain, and soft boat release

on Lake Bolsena in central Italy. It was immediately

clear that the training was extremely exacting and

also that all the team members, both helicopter crews

and special forces soldiers, were highly motivated.

For the soft boat release, an inflatable dinghy

was first launched onto the water and then

the operators followed it, one at a time, at

a very rapid tempo. Meanwhile, the dinghy

had auto-inflated on hitting the water.

The Chinook descended onto the water to recover

the dinghy and the special forces team. The pilots

carefully managed the manoeuvre and allowed water

to enter the rear-loading ramp, partially flooding

the fuselage. This allowed the team to enter the

fuselage while remaining on board the dinghy, piloting

it into the Chinook at an impressively high speed.

This spectacular manoeuvre requires a high level

of training from both pilots and special forces.

qualification. This kicks off with 22 weeks

of basic training, followed by a 24-week

second phase in which they learn to be an

embarked machine-gunner, survival skills and

flight training, including the use of NVGs.

One of the members of 3° REOS explained

further: “Special operations are missions

conducted using non-conventional tactics and

techniques; the missions are performed by

highly specialised and well-trained forces.

“These missions require rigorous planning,

using as much intelligence information as

possible. Also fundamental is the rehearsal,

that is to say simulating the mission, involving

all components (aircrews, special forces,

communications, command and control), to

be sure that all aspects of the mission have

been adequately planned. The greater part

of these missions are conducted by night,

at a considerable distance from the base,

using specific techniques to insert the special

forces in hostile territory, and to recover them.

Throughout this, we stay in contact using

sophisticated communication systems.

“Each member of the REOS has a radio

callsign using the word ‘Ermes’, followed by

a number. The commander is ‘Ermes 1’.”

Tools of the trade

Flying activity within 3° REOS involves

highly specialised skills that are not usually

seen within conventional army aviation

units. The main techniques are:

• Rappelling. Insertion of special forces
  using a single or double rope. Up to four
  operators at a time can descend very quickly
  from the helicopter while in the hover.


• Fast-rope. With this method, the
  descent is actually slower than rappelling,
  but it allows a larger number of soldiers to
  be deployed (the Chinook can transport
  33 soldiers seated or 50 in a high-density
  configuration). Fast roping uses two ropes
  at the same time, with the helicopter in the
  hover. Using the same ropes, fitted with
  rings at the end, it is possible to extract eight
  soldiers (four for each rope) simultaneously.


• Soft boat release. This is used during
  maritime special operations (MSO) and is
  especially relevant for ship-boarding operations.
  The Chinook is the only helicopter able to
  launch and recover a motorised inflatable
  dinghy, thanks to its large cargo cabin,
  wide rear ramp and floating capability.
  In addition, the Chinook’s considerable cargo
  capability sees it put to use as a forward
  arming and refuelling point (FARP). The
  helicopter becomes a logistics hub, deployed
  at an advanced location in the field. The
  FARP mission increases the radius of action
  of the other helicopters, allowing them to be
  refuelled and rearmed closer to the battle lines.
  A Chinook is able to refuel two helicopters
  simultaneously using the FARP system.
  Col Di Stasio concluded by reflecting on what
  is required of a 3° REOS soldier: “We don’t
  need fanatics, that would be dangerous for
  themselves and for their colleagues! We need
  people who are motivated, well trained and with
  the right mind-set. Perhaps, if you evaluate each
  single member of the REOS, they might not be
  the best pilot or the best specialist in absolute
  terms. But I’m convinced that when working as
  a team we are absolutely the best.”

40 // JANUARY 2018 #358 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

Italian Army special ops

Using the ‘cluster’

technique, four fully

equipped soldiers can

be delivered on each

rope.

AFM