EDA - ITALIAN BLADE EXERCISE VITERBO       

   Page 8 of 8                           Page 4 of 7
.... another magazine: ARANYSAS Hungary published as well !
Hungary will be the proud 'Blade exercise' host in 2017 !
One of both entrances of Viterbo Army Aviation. 

I7-  Other exercise items: Forward Medevac & FARP
Germany trained with a new born item: Forward Air Medevac flights in the action scene itself.
There was no experience yet, so a very well subject to train in such an exercise.
Also trained in IB-15: Forward Air Refuelling
The 'Hot refill' is done with turning rotorblades as near as possible to the action scenery....
.... and to save time and be ready for action soon as possible.
 The Hot-refill can also be done with other types of helicopters.

8-  And now: The Hunt for extremely dangerous terrorists !!
We show you the story in images, with sometimes small comments 
                
The coming action brings a substantial increase in activity on the platform
The Austrians prepare to transport troops....
.... an Italian Merlin is already airborne direction 'Location X'...
... Austrian crew works on the checklist...
The Austrian Col. Mittermair provided us with this photo of a new digital cockpit. Excellent opportunity to test it in this exercise
.... then the machines of Col. Mittelmair also depart to the LZ's (landing zones)
....Czech Hinds leave for fire support in case needed...
Once the MI-24 Hind was ever 'discovered'by 'The West' it was judges as a weird heilcopter....
.... the opposite was reality !! This machine can be a 'laethal killer'!
Fully loaded with 'ready willing & able' special force's the Slovenian Cougar hits the sky !
German NH-90 
Italian Chinook dropped the 'terrorist-hunters'
                                                          The Italian Merlin is looking for a suitable landingsplace to drop the troopers (credits this picture Irene Pantaleoni)
The Hind approaches the action-zone...
....what a view to see this air-air !
Zero hour  !!  Italian Chinook in a hit-and-run landing in clouds of straw to drop the special forces...
.... the Austrian Bell's land to drop...
... the Chinook immediately departs after the drop...
.... on another location a group with special assignment just debarked...
...they immediately take their positions...
Possible flights at Viterbo are on 'stand-by'...
..... but these guys are first line, the Chinook hurries to the LZ, and we get the chance to picture it all in front. 
Every single soul is busy with his own thoughts...
The Chinook lands, the hatch opens...
...all helicopters land almost the same few seconds (Austrian Bundesheer here above) (Credits this picture Austrian AF / Gorup)
....our Chinook dropped us and his 'load of troopers' as well and hurries back into the sky...
We know a 'brown-out' (sand) where pilots loose sight, a 'white-out' (snow) but this must ne a 'straw-out' ??  
The troops hurry all to their assigned location to fullfill their jobs...
The Hueys stay around to be able to collect the men as soon as neccesary or 'job done') (Credits this picture Austrian AF / Gorup)
The German NH-90 already approaches the 'Hot-refill'zone....
...another Chinook in take off just seconds after the last trooper left the helicopter... 
.... while the men spread all over the place.
The Chinookflies to a safer area in the neigbourhood, the loadmaster keeps an eye around
A UH-1 shearing the trees.....
..... and the soldiers are dropped by 'roping', they let themselves slide down along a thick rope. 
The Slovenian Cougar is 'parked' in the neighbourhood to collect the men as well after the raid....
  ....while all participating countries follow what happens 'live' in their own 'offices'. 
  
( The complete written article is to be found at page 7 )

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