Martina Franca Air Base

Martina Franca Air Base is located near Martina Franca in the province of Taranto, Puglia, Italy. The site hosted the 3rd Regional Operational Command (3° ROC) from 1959 until the establishment of the 16° Stormo "Protezione delle Forze" (Force Protection Wing) on May 25, 2004. The wing traces its lineage to the XVI Gruppo Aeroplani da Caccia, formed on November 16, 1917, at Istrana airfield. During World War I, the group's pilots destroyed nine enemy aircraft during an aerial battle over Istrana on December 26, 1917, for which the unit received a Bronze Medal of Military Valor.

The base is operated by the Italian Air Force, with the 16° Stormo functioning under the Comando Forze per la Mobilità e il Supporto (Command for Mobility and Support). The wing’s mission is Force Protection for Air Operations, encompassing the protection of personnel, weapons systems, and infrastructure in domestic and international environments, including CBRN-contaminated areas. The unit has participated in international operations in theaters such as Albania, Kosovo, Lebanon, and Afghanistan, where it provided base protection at Herat between 2005 and 2014.

Infrastructure at the base supports the Air Riflemen Battalion (Battaglione Fucilieri dell'Aria), which serves as the wing's combat element. The installation also hosts the STO/FP (Survive to Operate/Force Protection) Training Group. This facility serves as the national training center for the Italian Armed Forces for ground defense and STO/FP courses, including parachute operations.