Guardia di Finanza opens Air-Naval Operations Simulation Centre in Italy
Guardia di Finanza (Italy’s Police Force, with general capability in economic and financial matters, is the only maritime Police Force in Italy) opened its Air-Naval Operations Simulation Center during an official ceremony in the presence of institutional and Leonardo representatives. The new center was developed by the company starting in 2020. Based on customer’s requirements, it leverages the most advanced and innovative technologies in the simulation field and aims to train Guardia di Finanza’s crews carrying out air-naval operations.
The new center, a one-of-a-kind in Europe, integrates advanced network simulation systems in a single environment. The simulators fully mirror Leonardo’s helicopters and airplanes, which have recently been acquired by Guardia di Finanza and used for a range of operational roles, in addition to the company’s onboard mission systems used for surveillance and identification. These add to a scenario simulator, developed by Leonardo, which can virtually generate the environment where platforms and personnel collaborate on a single mission, a vessel instrument panel simulator which also introduces ships in a maritime environment – developed in collaboration with Cetena (Fincantieri) – and a ground-based command center that coordinates the operations.
The AW169/AW139 helicopters and P-72B aircraft all-new ‘mini motion’ simulators, designated Enhanced Training Device (ETD e-Motion), reproduce performance, avionics, and cockpits with high fidelity, and can deliver adequate physical feedback to the crews, thanks to the platform integrated actuators. Pilot training is complemented by rear crew training for those using the Leonardo ATOS (Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance) mission system for the AW139 and P-72B, as well as cabin hoist operations thanks to a highly immersive virtual reality for search and rescue missions.
The center is an EASA-Approved Training Organization and obtained an ENAC (Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Training Certificate. The center is located at hangar ‘L’ at the Air Base, adapted with Leonardo’s support, and is fully integrated into the Leonardo Helicopter Training Academy’s global network. The Leonardo Training Academy coordinated the initiative, allowing the combination of the highest international standard for flight and mission training delivered by the various business areas of the company.
