As Italy gathers its Typhoons together, Giovanni Colla and Remo Guidi consider how the annual exercise sharpens the fast-jet fighting force.
This year the Aeronautica Militare (AM; Italian Air Force) unites its Eurofighter squadrons for the crucial Typhoon Flag exercise.
Run under the auspices of the Command of the Combat Forces (CFC), the annual event focuses on four sectors: train future fighter pilots through the advanced phase of the Operational Conversion Course (OCC); fly a complex Large Force Employment (LFE) mission; perform advanced exercises as part of the Weapons Instructor Course (WIC); and prepare for the UK-based Cobra Warrior exercise that the AM was due to take part in this September, focusing on the integration of fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft. The event also has an important role because it allows pilots from different units to fly together and standardise using the aircraft.
