Air Defense: Italy and Switzerland Together in the Skies for the "Ferrari-I" Exercise

On March 25, 2026, the bilateral exercise "Ferrari-I 26-01" took place, the first event of the year dedicated to strengthening operational cooperation between Italy and Switzerland in the Air Policing sector. The activity tested the Command and Control chain of the two countries, simulating air threat scenarios arising from non-military aircraft.

The main objective was to validate common procedures to ensure a rapid and integrated response in case of airspace violations or emergency situations requiring handover between different nations.

The Scenario: The "Renegade" Alert

The exercise began with a simulated critical situation:

• The Target: A P-180 aircraft of the 14° Stormo, taking off from Pratica di Mare, simulated a total loss of radio communications and an unjustified deviation from the planned route.
• The Threat: The aircraft's behavior triggered procedures for a Renegade event (civil aircraft used as a potential threat).
• The Scramble: The National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC) in Poggio Renatico ordered the immediate takeoff (scramble) of two Eurofighter F-2000 fighters from the 51° Stormo of Istrana, on permanent alert duty (QRA).

Tactical Coordination and the "Handover"

The tactical management of the interception was entrusted to the units of the Integrated Missile Air Defense (DAMI):

1. 22° DAMI Group of Licola (BARCA)
2. 11° DAMI Group of Poggio Renatico (PIOPPO)

The most complex moment of the exercise concerned the Cross-Border: when the target aircraft headed towards Swiss airspace, it was necessary to coordinate the transfer of operational responsibility with the Air Defence and Direction Center (ADDC) in Dubendorf. At this stage, Swiss authorities took over the management of the interception, confirming the perfect interoperability between the defense systems of the two countries.

The 11° DAMI Group and the 22° DAMI Group operate daily under the Aerospace Control Brigade to ensure the surveillance of Italian skies, constantly integrating with NATO's air defense system.

Conclusions

The "Ferrari-I 26-01" exercise confirmed the effectiveness of communication and identification procedures between Italy and Switzerland. In an increasingly complex international context, the ability to act synergistically with neighboring partners is not only a technical necessity but a fundamental pillar for the collective security of European airspace.