AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy. -- The 90th edition of the course on Operational Intelligence took place from November 6 to December 7, 2023 planned and executed by the Italian air force operational command in a new format meant to be highly innovative and engaging.
The new format allowed attendees to experience a more engaging educational experience, learning from the most experienced instructors of the Italian armed forces and visiting organizations and flying units in order to increase the effectiveness of the lessons, to fully understand air power concepts and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance-electronic warfare operations.
In accordance with directives issued by the Italian air force staff, the course is aimed at personnel who begin their professional path in the intelligence field.
The AIO course represents the conclusion of a five month training curriculum, consisting of specialized modules in the field of intelligence disciplines, ISR procedures, electronic warfare, remote sensing and weapon systems recognition.
The purpose of this training is to provide selected personnel with the tools needed to carry out their intelligence tasks at various levels of employment (e.g. support to flight units, intelligence center and operational commands) in different phases of the intelligence cycle and ISR processes. Once the "intelligence badge" has been earned, after the final examinations, the personnel carry out a period of on-the-job training before being employed in real world operations.
The training and educational activities, planned and coordinated by the ISTAR-EW branch office of the Italian air force operational command, were carried out by instructors from the Italian air force, army and joint staff. The course content, the training phases and the teaching methodology have been renewed to match with current political situations and technological capabilities, as well as the valuable feedback reported by attendees of previous editions of the course.
The additional innovations introduced in the latest edition of the course include live visits to Italian air force operational units, joint commands, targeting and intelligence agencies, lectures about communication techniques and public speaking, in-depth studies in the field of cyber defense and space, as well as briefings provided by national intelligence personnel employed abroad at NATO, European Union and deployed units. For the first time, the final exercise was carried out with open source intelligence platform and web tools, provided by the Janes company, to run tasks required by the examination tests.
Particularly effective and appreciated was the presentation provided by the instructors of the 31st Fighter Wing (Aviano). US personnel provided a comprehensive and thorough description of the duties and responsibilities of intelligence personnel in the U.S. Air Force flying units, sharing interesting considerations related to training courses and personal experiences. This contribution, strongly supported by U.S. military leaders, marked the beginning of a new cooperation in the field of the intelligence education aimed at further increasing training paths, the interoperability of ISR systems and the standardization of procedures.
The 90th Course on Operational Intelligence (A.I.O.) was a success, thanks to the innovative format, the updated content and the new collaborations established. The course provided the attendees with the knowledge and skills they need to carry out their information tasks effectively at all levels.