The 17th Incursor Wing, formerly known as the Air Force Incursor Wing (RIAM) until 8 April 2008, is the Air Force's TIER 1 Special Forces unit.
It has its roots in the Arditi Destroyers of the Regia Aeronautica (ADRA), active during World War II. From the ADRA unit it inherited the 'sand-coloured beret' and the 'Adra Ordnance' combat dagger.
The current name derives from the disbanded '17th Teleguided Interceptor Wing' and the motto from the 17th Fighter Group and is part of the 1st 'Special Operations' Airborne Brigade, under the operational command of the COFS (Joint Special Forces Operations Command).
History
In February 1937, the Regia Aeronautica was commissioned to organise Parachute Schools, inaugurating the 'Libyan Parachute School Camp' in 1938, with the first students among the Libyan Àscari. Later, in 1939, the first military parachuting school in Italy was founded in Tarquinia. In 1940, the paratroopers had their baptism of fire in Libya, during the defence of the city of Derna against British forces. Despite strenuous resistance, they were forced to give ground.

In 1942, as part of the planning of Operation C3, the Italian plan for the invasion of Malta, the 1st Assault Regiment 'Amedeo d'Aosta' was created to play a central role in the occupation of the island's airfields. Within this plan, several special units were formed, including the ADRA Battalion (Arditi Destroyers of the Regia Aeronautica), specialised in sabotage missions.
The battalion consisted of around 300 men, and was responsible for daring missions against enemy targets, such as the Benghazi airport, where they managed to destroy several aircraft.
After the armistice of 8 September 1943, part of the ADRA Battalion continued to fight on the side of the Allies in the Italian War of Liberation. In 1944, Marshal Messe organised a battalion of Air Force ardites to participate in the operations for the liberation of the peninsula.
In the post-war period, in 1968, the Air Force set up the Air Force Regiment Training Group (G.F.R.A.M.), under the leadership of Captain Antonio Mariani. This group, composed of paratroopers-incursors-saboteurs, carried out intensive training activities and was also engaged in anti-terrorist operations. The unit was later disbanded, but a nucleus of paratroopers remained active under the name 'Falchi Blu' (Blue Falcons), carrying out demonstration airdrops.
In 2003, the Air Force officially established the Air Force Incursion Wing (RIAM) at the Furbara detachment. In 2008, the unit assumed its current name of 17th Incursor Wing, receiving its War Flag on 30 March 2009.
The 17th Incursors
The 17th Air Force (AM) Incursors operate in both national and international contexts, within NATO, EU and multinational coalitions, with a focus on special operations with a strong aeronautical connotation. Trained to intervene in variable environments, from high altitude to the underwater environment, incursors perform critical missions, including counter-terrorism and operations directed against strategic targets.
Their main missions include air traffic control in operational areas (Combat Controller), weather monitoring (Combat Weatherman) and search and rescue operations in hostile environments (Combat SAR).
The 17th Incursor Wing is distinguished by its ability to intervene rapidly with a high degree of operational autonomy in complex scenarios, guaranteeing the protection of national interests and helping to mitigate political risks linked to threats such as international terrorism.
Missions
The 17th Air Force Incursor Wing has participated in numerous missions in Italy and abroad.

The newly acquired capabilities allowed the Incursors to take part in international missions such as 'Ancient Babylon' in Iraq, operations in Chad, Mali, Somalia (Operation Tortuga, against piracy), Libya (Operation Unified Protector) and Afghanistan, where the unit was involved in Operation Sarissa.
Since 2007, the unit has been deployed in Afghanistan, operating within the Task Force 45together with the 9th Parachute Assault Regiment 'Col Moschin' of the Italian Army, the GOI of the Navy and the GIS of the Carabinieri.
In 2011, he participated in Operation Unified Protector in Libya, with tasks such as Ground Laser Target Designator and Joint Tactical Air Controller.
The unit was also deployed in Task Force 44 'Centuria' in Iraq, as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, to counter Daesh forces. Here it conducted training and reconnaissance missions, collaborating with other Italian and international units.
In 2021-2022, it took part in Task Force Takuba in Mali, as part of the European Union Training Mission, with reconnaissance and MEDEVAC tasks.
Training of operators
Access to the Incursori specialty is through an internal Air Force competition. As of 12 December 2017, it has been possible to participate in recruitment for the Air Force in a one-year prefixed term of service (VFP1).
The selection process includes a pre-selection based on physical fitness, psycho-physical and aptitude tests, followed by physical efficiency tests (which include fourteen athletic tests).
The selective and training process to become an Air Force raider is mainly managed by the Training Group (GA) of the 17th Wing and develops in modular stages, all of which are extremely selective. The first step is the Air Force Special Operations Forces Course (FOSAM), which lasts approximately 9-10 months. At the end of this course, participants obtain their first 'STOS Operator' (Tactical Support to Special Operations) qualification.
After the FOSAM course, the course is divided into two strands:
- STOS operators who successfully pass the course and are eligible in the merit list may continue on to the BIAM Course (Air Force Incursor Patent), thereby acquiring the incursor patent.
- Other operators can continue their career as STOS Operators, specialising in tactical support to special operations.
The total duration of the course to become a STOS Operator is about 9 months, while to obtain the Incursor licence is about 14 months. At the end of the training, candidates are assigned to the 17th Incursor Wing.
The instructors of the Training Group are highly qualified and include:
- Rescuers specialised in survival training in various environments (marine, mountain, desert and hostile).
- Qualified incursionists as instructors, many of whom were certified by the 9th Col Moschin, in charge of the operational training of trainees.
- Experts in explosive ordnance recognition and defusing (EOR, EOD and IEDD).
The training includes a wide range of courses, including:
- Parachuting
- Topography and broadcasting
- Basic Life Support
- Advanced weapons training, with day and night exercises
- Planning military operations
- Survival, evasion, escape and resistance to interrogation
- Radio-operations techniques for Special Forces
- Explosives handling and aerocooperation techniques
- Combat and mobility in the mountains
- Special reconnaissance and intelligence gathering (Human Intelligence - HUMINT).
This complex and rigorous course prepares Air Force operators and incursors for missions in extremely delicate operational contexts.
In order to become an Air Force (AM) Incursor, after passing the Air Force Special Operations Forces Course (FOSAM), one proceeds to the Air Force Incursor Brevet Course (BI-AM). This specialised phase, which lasts approximately four months, completes the training of student Incursors and culminates in the award of the Brevetto di Incursore (Brevetto di Incursore).
Once the licence has been acquired, the training process continues with the Special Forces Combat Readiness (PC-FS) phase, which is scheduled to last six months. This advanced training is aimed at making the Incursors fully operational and ready for immediate deployment in military operations (Combat Readiness).
At the end of the PC-FS phase, the Raider is ready to be deployed in Operations Outside National Borders (OFCN), thus completing a total training course of almost two years.