Attack on the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait where American and Italian soldiers operate. An MQ-9A Predator drone from the Italian mission, a key asset for surveillance and intelligence of the international coalition against the Islamic State, was destroyed. No soldiers were injured or involved in the attack.
A morning that brings military tension back to the heart of the Gulf. The basis of Ali Al Salemin Kuwaitone of the operational infrastructures of the international coalition which hosts American vehicles and personnel but also Italian soldiers, was hit by a drone attack.
The unmanned aircraft hit a warehouse on the base where a drone was deployed Italian air task forcedestroying it.
At the time of the attack all personnel had already been secured and no soldiers were involved. The news was confirmed by Defense General Staff.
The aircraft destroyed
The vehicle hit represented one of the most important operational assets of the Italian contingent deployed in the region. This is a MQ-9A «Predator»a medium-high altitude, long-range drone produced by the US company General Atomics.
The estimated value of the aircraft is approximately 30 million dollarsa figure that can exceed 35 million including sensors, communications systems and ground control infrastructure.
The drone is designed for surveillance, reconnaissance and information collection missions in support of the international coalition engaged in fighting the jihadist group Islamic State.
A key asset for intelligence and surveillance
The Predator represents one of the main tools of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance used by Italian forces in the Middle Eastern theater.
It can operate at medium-high altitudes for long periods, with an autonomy exceeding 24 hours of continuous flight and an operational quota that reaches approx 15 thousand meters.
Thanks to the electro-optical and infrared sensors with which it is equipped, the aircraft allows constant monitoring of the territory, identification of targets and collection of intelligence data, providing real-time information to coalition commands and operational units engaged on the ground.
Precisely for these characteristics, the destroyed drone represented an important asset for aerial surveillance in the area and had remained deployed in the Kuwaiti base even after the partial lightening of the Italian device decided in recent days for security reasons.
The explanations of the General Staff
The Chief of the Defense Staff Luciano Portolano explained that the aircraft “constituted an indispensable asset for carrying out operational activities and had remained deployed at the base in order to guarantee the continuity of operations”.
Portolano also clarified that «the Italian Air Task Force system – he added – had been previously lightened in recent days, as part of the measures adopted in relation to the evolution of the security framework in the area. The personnel remaining on the base are employed to carry out the essential activities of the mission.”
The Chief of Staff immediately informed the Minister of Defense. «I promptly informed the Minister of Defense Crosetto of the incident, with whom I am in constant contact for the continuous updating of the situation of all our contingents abroad».
The situation is also followed by Joint Forces Summit Operational Command (Covi)which maintains constant contact with the contingents deployed in the area.
The government: missions confirmed
A message of operational continuity arrives from the government. “We are not intimidated, the Italian missions continue.” The Foreign Minister said so Antonio Tajani speaking on Tg4 Sunday diary commenting on the attack on the base where Italian soldiers also operate.
The minister explained that a reduction in personnel is underway in the Italian bases in the region: «We are reducing personnel» in the Italian bases in the region, «we must secure the greatest number of men while keeping to international commitments».
The opposition was also informed
Opposition leaders were also informed after the attack. The Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto warned them in the short ways of the drone attack on the base of Ali Al Salem.
The Kuwaiti facility represents one of the main operational hubs of the international coalition in the Gulf and hosts US and allied air assets used in regional security activities and in operations against jihadist networks active between Iraq and Syria.
