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Task Force Italair, 47 years of flying for peace.

Wijk bij Duurstede, 21 August 2026

The Italian helicopter contribution to UNIFIL in Lebanon is known as Task Force Italair.

This unit has been active since 1979, making it Italy's longest-running operational military unit in an international peacekeeping mission. Stationed in Naqoura (UNIFIL-HQ) for evacuations, patrols, medical transports and transport of UN personnel.
The Task Force was stationed at the headquarters of UNIFIL in Naqoura, located in southern Lebanon, on July 3, 1979.
The unit and the associated heliport were then located directly inside the central UN camp (UNIFIL HQ compound) in Naqoura.In 2008 the Task Force Italair moved to its current location on Green Hill. The old heliport was then moved about a kilometer to the south and several new heliports, hangars and personnel were housed.
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Daily 24/7 medical evacuations (casevac/medevac) are carried out, with one helicopter always on standby within 30 minutes. Activities also include firefighting in forested and rural areas, logistical transport, air patrols along the "Blue Line" (the 120-kilometer dividing line between Lebanon and Israel), searches and support for the population in the event of natural disasters.

Some important facts about the Task Force Italair:

  • Founded: Started on July 3, 1979 in Naqoura, about a year after the start of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon. (UN Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426.)

  • Unique fact: This is one of the longest-running operations of the Italian Armed Forces in an international peacekeeping mission.

  • Tasks: Medical evacuations (MEDEVAC), search and rescue (SAR), and transport of UN personnel.

  • Flight hours: A total of more than 46,600 hours in the air.

  • Patrols: Have been flying for more than 10,000 hours in the Blue Line area between Lebanon and Israel.

  • Passengers: More than 186,000 people carried.

  • Medical evacuations: 1,424 rescue flights carried out.

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Binnen de UNIFIL-missie in Libanon zet de Italiaanse luchtmacht (Task Force Italair) al decennialang helikopters in.
Het belangrijkste en recentste type is de Leonardo UH-169D, die de oudere toestellen zoals de Agusta-Bell AB 205, AB 212 (2 rotorbladen)
en de AB 412 (4 rotorbladen) vervangt.

Historisch en huidig overzicht gebruikte types helikopters:

  • Agusta-Bell AB 205: Het oorspronkelijke werkpaard waarmee de Italiaanse eenheid Italair in 1979 begon.

  • Agusta-Bell AB 212: Langdurig ingezet voor verbindingen en transport.

  • Agusta-Bell AB 412: Jarenlang een vaste waarde binnen de Task Force voor logistiek en reddingsacties.

  • Leonardo UH-169D (AW169MA): Het modernste type light utility-helikopter dat Italië inzet voor onder meer patrouilles en medevac-taken in Libanon.
  • Russische Mi-8MTV: Voor logistieke ondersteuning, transport en observatiemissies in Libanon. De Mi-8MTV is een high-performance variant uitgerust met verbeterde twin turboshaft-motoren ontworpen voor operaties op grote hoogte en bij warm weer.
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Augusta-Bell AB 205                                                                         Augusta-Bell 212                                                                                                          Augusta-Bell 412
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                                                                              Leonardo UH-169D                                                                                         Russische Mi-8MTV

The Task Force Italair operating within the UNIFIL mission celebrated 45 years of uninterrupted presence in southern Lebanon at the UNIFIL HQ on September 19, 2024.
This ceremony also commemorated the fallen members of the "Charlie Four" flight on August 6, 1997. The tragic incident claimed the lives of three crew members (the two pilots – Army Aviation Majors Antonino Sgrò and Giuseppe Parisi – and First Marshal Massimo Gatti, the specialist technician) as well as the two passengers (Carabinieri Brigadier General Daniel Forner and Irish Sergeant John Lynch).

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During our return trips we were allowed to visit Italair several times and were always warmly welcomed by the commander at the compound of the Task force. In which history was always extensively considered.
This was always concluded with a tour of the hangars and the various helicopters that were present at that time.
The highlight was always the group photo in front of a helicopter with the pilots and the commander of the task force.
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