The Erbil air base is an immense clearing not far from the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Military aircraft from Operation Inherent Resolve, a mission created in 2014 to combat the advance of Islamic terrorism, continually rise from the sun-burnt asphalt.
The Italian helicopters of the Griffon Task Group also depart from here, employed since the spring of 2016 alongside the anti-ISIS coalition as part of the Prima Parthica operation. The task of the squadron, led by commander Andrea Piacitelli, is that of the so-called “Air Mobility”, i.e. the transport of materials and personnel. A constant and daily commitment that led the crew to reach 5,000 flight hours last February, a milestone achieved in just under eight years of activity. Images by Domenico Palesse.
