Italian Air Force

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Special 50th anniversary Tornado scheme unveiled

A German Air Force Panavia Tornado IDS has been painted in a special scheme to mark the 50th anniversary of the aircraft type’s first flight.

Baltic Air Policing: On the front line

In the March 2024 issue of Aviation News, Joris van Boven and Alex van Noije report from Lithuania as the Belgian Air Component becomes the latest Baltic Air Policing lead nation, taking on the role from the Italian Air Force

Italian Air Force marks end of HH-212A ops with final flight

The Italian Air Force’s (ItAF’s) 9° Stormo (Wing) held a celebratory event at Grazzanise Air Base on February 22 to mark the final flight of the HH-212A combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) helicopter fleet

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Frecce Tricolori to star in North American tour

Initially announced by Gen Luca Goretti – the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force – on November 23, Italy’s premier aerobatic team, Frecce Tricolori (Tricolor Arrows), revealed the full details of what will be its first North American tour in more than 30 years on January 1.

Italian Tornados relieve Eurofighters on deployment in Kuwait

The Italian Air Force has deployed an unspecified number of Panavia Tornado IDS ground attack/strike aircraft to Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait as part of its latest Task Group Devil detachment to the Middle East region

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Revealing insights from the days of the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) at RAF Cottesmore

The three partner nations on the Tornado programme established a joint training unit at RAF Cottesmore that lasted almost 20 years. A former station commander and an instructor described its inner workings to Dino Carrara in 2015

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Italian Tornados – Combat operations

Italian Air Force Tornados have been involved in numerous operations. In an article for Key Publishing in 2015, Riccardo Niccoli looked back at the times they have been in harm’s way 

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Bird strike considered as cause of fatal Frecce Tricolori crash in Turin

An MB-339PAN jet trainer belonging to the Italian Air Force’s national aerobatic team, Frecce Tricolori (Tricolour Arrows), crashed just after taking off from Turin-Caselle Airport, northern Italy, on September 16, killing a five-year-old girl on the ground

Japanese F-15J marks 100 years of the Italian Air Force

As part of preparations being made for welcoming a detachment of Italian F-35A Lightning IIs to Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force painted one of its F-15J Eagles in special markings to commemorate the centenary of the Italian Air Force

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A look inside the incredible Italian Air Force Museum

The Italian Air Force Museum at Vigna di Valle has undergone a major overhaul for the air arm’s centenary. Philip Stevens took a sneak peek at the reimagined museum before it reopened