The recent arrival of the final four AMX aircraft from Istrana marks the formal conclusion of their 35-year service with the Italian Air Force. These aircraft join the historic flying collection at Piacenza airport.
Italian F-35A and B Carry Out First Simultaneous Drop Of (Inert) GBU-12 Laser Guided Bombs
Italian F-35A and B Carry Out First Simultaneous Drop Of (Inert) GBU-12 Laser Guided Bombs
Italian F-35A and B drop GBU-12s during the OT&E. (Image credit: ItAF)
For the very first time, the Italian Air Force F-35A and F-35B carried out a simultaneous drop of GBU-12 LGBs.
On Jan. 28, 2021, the Italian Air Force two F-35A and one F-35B assigned to the 32° Stormo (Wing) based at Amendola Air Base, deployed to Decimomannu Air Base, Sardinia, home of the RSSTA/AWTI (Reparto Sperimentale e di Standardizzazione Tiro Aereo/Air Weapons Training Installation) of the Italian Air Force, have conducted a mission that involved the use of inert weapons on the PISQ (Poligono Interforze Salto di Quirra – Salto di Quirra Joint Range), an EW (Electronic Warfare) range located in central eastern Sardinia, just a few minutes flight time distance from “Deci”.
First Two T-345 Trainers Delivered To The Italian Air Force
First Two T-345 Trainers Delivered To The Italian Air Force
One of the two first T-345A of the Italian Air Force (MM55235/61-203). (Image credit: Oscar Bernardi.)
Two T-345 trainers in the colors of the 61° Stormo (Wing) have been delivered to the Italian Air Force.
The first two new Leonardo T-345 trainer aircraft (local designation of the M-345), were delivered to the Italian Air Force at Venegono airport, in northwestern Italy, where the final assembly lines of Leonardo Aircraft and Helicopter Divisions are based, on Dec. 22, 2020.
The aircraft sport the markings of the the 61st Stormo (Wing) of the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force – ItAF), based at Lecce-Galatina Airbase, in southeastern Italy, and are registered MM55234/61-202 and MM55235/61-203. Interestingly, the aircraft were given the codes in the 61-2xx range, that is not used by the existing lines at Lecce (the MB-339A – designated T-339A; the MB-