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The 'Aeronautica Militare' is the air force of Italy. It is one of the most powerful air forces in Europe and has held a prominent role in modern Italian military history. It was founded as an independent service arm on the 28th March, 1923, by King Vittorio Emanuele III as the ''Regia Aeronautica'' (which equates to "Royal Air Force"). After World War II, when Italy was made a republic by referendum, the ''Regia Aeronautica'' was given its current name. Its Aerobatic display team is the Frecce Tricolori.

Contents

History

Aircraft inventory

Future aircraft

Dismissed aircraft

Bases

Rank Structure

Aeronautica Militare Italiana organisation and units

Photos

See also

External links

References

History

Italy is one of the nations that can boast some of the oldest traditions in the field of aviation. As far back as 1884, in fact, the Regio Esèrcito was authorised to equip itself with its own air component, the Servizio Aeronautico, based in Rome. In 1911, during the Italo-Turkish war, Italy employed aircraft, for the first time ever in the world, for reconnaissance and bombing missions. As a result of Benito Mussolini, who wanted Italy to become a world power, the Regia Aeronautica was born on 23 March 1923. During the thirties, the Regia Aeronautica was involved in its first military operations, initially in Ethiopia in 1935, and later in Spain between 1936 and 1939. After a period of neutrality, Italy entered World War II on 10 June 1940 alongside Germany, in which the Regia Aeronautica could deploy more than 3.000 aircraft, of which less than 60% were serviceable. The Regia Aeronautica fought from the icy steppes of Russia to the sand of the North African desert losing men and machines. After the armistice of 8 September 1943, Italy divided itself into two, and the same fate befell the Regia Aeronautica. The end of the hostilities, on 8 May 1945, opened the gates to the rebirth of military aviation in Italy.

A referendum resulted in the proclamation of Italy as a Republic on 18 June 1946, and in parallel the Regia Aeronautica was transformed into the Aeronautica Militare Italiana - the title that it holds today. The Paris Peace Treaty of 1947 placed severe restrictions on the Italian armed forces, but membership of NATO in 1949 opened the way for modernisation of the AMI. The American military aid through the Mutual Defence Assistance Programme saw the arrival of P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt piston-engined fighters. Later in 1952 the best aircraft of the period, F-84G, F-86E(M) and F-84F fighters and C-119 transports came to Italy. Not content to see foreign-designed aircraft serving the AMI, the reborn Italian aviation industry began to develop and produce aircraft of its own like the Fiat G91, Aermacchi MB-326, Piaggio Aero P166 and the line of Agusta-Bell helicopters. The sound-barrier was broken by the AMI, with the introduction of the Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, constructed under licence by Fiat. The 1970s witnessed the acquisition of the Aeritalia G222 and Lockheed C-130, which renewed the transport fleet, and the Lockheed-Aeritalia F-104S, a fighter-variant of the Starfighter developed specifically to meet the requirements of the Italian defence system.

The drive to improve and expand the aircraft industry led Italy in the programme of the Panavia Tornado and the development and introduction of the AMX, this later with Embraer of Brazil. In 1990, following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Italy joined the coalition forces and for the first time in 45 years Italian pilots and aircraft were tasked with military war-time operations.
Further crises were going to require the intervention of the Italian forces in Somalia, Mozambique, and in the Balkans. The conflict in the former Yugoslavia, only a few minutes flying time from the Italian borders, saw a need to improve the future air defence.
As a stopgap and as replacement for leased Tornado ADV interceptors, the AMI has leased 30 F-16A Block 15 ADF and four F-16B Block 10 Fighting Falcons, with an option for some more. The coming years also will see the introduction of 121 EF2000 Eurofighter Typhoons, replacing the leased F-16 Fighting Falcons. Furthermore updates are foreseen on the Tornado IDS/IDT and the AMX-fleet.
The transport capacity will be improved with the delivery of 22 C-130Js (for 2°Gr).
Also a completely-new developed G222, called C-27J Spartan, will enter service replacing the G222's.

Aircraft inventory

The AM operates 585 aircraft, including 219 (300 2007) combat jets and 114 helicopters.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service^[1]
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Aermacchi MB-339 || || trainer

---

light attack

---

aerobatic display || MB 339A

---

MB 339CD-1

---

MB 339CD-2

---

MB 339PAN || 72

---

15

---

15

---

20 || active numbers reduced from 106

---

variant with hud glass cockpit and more fighter capability

---

version of the CD-1

---

used by Frecce Tricolori
|-----
| Aermacchi SF-260 || || trainer || SF 260AM

---

SF 260EA/EM || 21

---

3 || 30 to be delivered
|-----
| Airbus A319 || || VIP transport || A319-100 ACJ || 3 ||
|-----
| Alenia G.222 || || tactical transport

---

calibration

---

VIP transport || G.222

---

G.222RM

---

G.222VS || 15

---

4

---

1 ||
|-----
| Alenia C-27J || || tactical transport || C-27J || 3 || another 9 under delivery ||
|-----
| AMX International AMX || || attack

---

trainer || AMX

---

AMX-T || 70

---

12 ||
|-----
| Bell 212 || || rescue helicopter || AB 212AM || 34 || built by Agusta
|-----
| Boeing 707 || || transport || 707-320C || 2 ||
|-----
| Boeing 767 || || aerial refueling || KC-767A || || 4 on order
|-----
| Breguet Atlantique || || maritime patrol || Br 1150 || 18 || jointly operated with the Navy
|-----
| Dassault Falcon 50 || || VIP transport || || 4 ||
|-----
| Dassault Falcon 900 || || VIP transport || 900EX

---

900EX Easy || 3

---

2 ||
|-----
| Eurofighter Typhoon || || strike-fighter || Typhoon F2 and Typhoon T1 || 121 planned but few as of August 2007^[2] || currently under production, few in operation yet
|-----
| General Atomics RQ-1 Predator || || reconnaissance UAV || RQ-1A || 5 || jointly operated with the Navy
|-----
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules || || tactical transport || C-130J

---

C-130J-30 || 12

---

10 ||
|-----
| Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon || || fighter

---

trainer || F-16AM-15

---

F-16BM-10 || 30

---

4 || leased from USAF
|-----
| Lockheed F-104 Starfighter || || trainer || TF-104G || 3 || built by Fiat
|-----
| MD Helicopters MD 500 || || utility helicopter || NH 500E || 50 || built by BredaNardi
|-----
| Panavia Tornado || || attack

---

anti-radar || Tornado IDS

---

Tornado IT-ECR || 70

---

15 ||
|-----
| Piaggio P166 || || utility transport || P-166DL-3 || 31 ||
|-----
| Piaggio P180 Avanti || || utility transport || || 9 ||
|-----
| SIAI Marchetti S 208 || || liaison || S 208M || 27 ||
|-----
| Sikorsky S-61 Sea King || || Combat search and rescue helicopter

---

VIP transport || HH-3F

---

SH-3DTS || 30

---

2 ||
|}

Future aircraft

★ Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

★ Aermacchi M-346

Dismissed aircraft

★ Lockheed F-104 Starfighter

★ Tornado ADV (24 leased from RAF)

★ Aeritalia G.222

★ Lockheed C-130H

★ Boeing 707 T/T

Bases

★ Milano-Linate ★ Brescia-Ghedi ★ Piacenza-San Damiano ★ Treviso-Istrana ★ Udine-Rivolto ★ Cervia-San Girgio ★ Rimini-Miramare ★ Pisa-San Giusto ★ Grosseto ★ Roma-Guidonia ★ Roma-Ciampino ★ Roma-Pratica di Mare ★ Latina ★ Frosinone ★ Grazzanise ★ Foggia-Amendola ★ Gioia del Colle ★ Brindisi-Casale ★ Lecce-Galatina ★ Catania-Sigonella ★ Trapani-Birgi ★ Decimomannu ★ Perdasdefogu ★ Malta ★ Novara-Cameri ★ Treviso ★ Napoli-Capodichino ★ Vicenza ★ Caselle-airport of Sandro Pertini

Rank Structure

'''Ufficiali generali''' - 'General officers'
''Generale''
General
''Generale di Squadra Aerea''		''Generale di Divisione Aerea''		''Generale di Brigata Aerea''
Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General
'''Ufficiali superiori''' - 'Senior officers'
''Colonnello''		''Tenente Colonnello''		''Maggiore''
Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major
'''Ufficiali inferiori''' - 'Junior officers'
''Capitano''		''Tenente''		''Sottotenente''
Captain		1st Lieutenant		2nd Lieutenant
'''Sottufficiali''' - 'Warrant Officers'
''Primo maresciallo luogotenente''
1st Lieutenant Marshall
''Primo Maresciallo''	''Maresciallo di Prima Classe''	''Maresciallo di Seconda Classe''	''Maresciallo di Terza Classe''	''Sergente Maggiore''	''Sergente''
1st Marshall	1st Class Marshall	2nd Class Marshall	3rd Class Marshall	Sergeant Major	Sergeant
'''Truppa''' - 'Troops'
					''No insignia''
''Primo Aviere Capo''	''Primo Aviere Scelto''	''Aviere Capo''	''Primo Aviere''	''Aviere Scelto''	''Aviere''
First Chief Airman	First Senior Airman	Chief Airman	First Airman	Senior Airman	Airman

Aeronautica Militare Italiana organisation and units

'Stato Maggiore - Headquarters Air Force'
:'''Prima Regione Aerea'' - First Air Region' (North Italy)
:: '1ª Brigata Aerea - 1^st Air Brigade' (after 'Vezio Mezzetti') - Padova
:::16° Stormo - 16^th Wing
:::17° Stormo - 17^th Wing - Padova
::::57° Gruppo Intercettori - 57^th Interceptor Group
::::72° Gruppo Intercettori - 72^th Interceptor Group
::::80° Gruppo Intercettori - 80^th Interceptor Group
:::2° Reparto Manutenzione Missili - 2^nd Missile Maintenance Unit
:::401° Reparto STO (''Supporti Tecnici Operativi'') - 401^th TOS Unit (Technical Operative Support)
:::501° Reparto SLO (''Servizi Logistici Operativi'') - 501^th LOS Unit (Logistic Operative Services)
:::601ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 601^st Joint Squadron
:::Scuola Missili Nike - Nike Missile School
:: '2° Stormo - 2^nd Wing' (after 'Mario D'Agostini')
::: '313° Gruppo Addestramento Acrobatico' (Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale) - '313^rd Group - Flight Demonstration Group - Frecce Tricolori'
:::402° Gruppo STO - 402^nd TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::502° Gruppo SLO - 502^nd LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::602ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 602^nd Joint Squadron
:: '3° Stormo - 3^rd Wing' (after 'Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia')
:::28° Gruppo - 28^th Group
:::132° Gruppo - 132^th Group
:::403° Gruppo STO - 403^rd TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::503° Gruppo SLO - 503^rd LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::603ª Squadriglia Collegamenti e Soccorso - 603^rd Joint and Rescue Squadron
:: '5° Stormo - 5^th Wing' (after 'Giuseppe Cenni)'
::: 23° Gruppo Caccia - 23^th Fighter Group
:::405° Gruppo STO - 405^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::505° Gruppo SLO - 505^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::605ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 605^th Joint Squadron
:: '6° Stormo - 6^th Wing' (after 'Alfredo Fusco)'
:::102° Gruppo - 102^th Group
:::154° Gruppo - 154^th Group
:::406° Gruppo STO - 406^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::506° Gruppo SLO - 506^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::606ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 606^th Joint Squadron
::'''Dismissed''' - '8° Stormo - 8^th Wing' (after 'Gino Prido)'
:::101° Gruppo - 101^th Group
:::408° Gruppo STO - 408^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::508° Gruppo SLO - 508^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::608ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 608^th Joint Squadron
:: '50° Stormo - 50^th Wing' (after 'Giorgio Graffer)'
:::155° Gruppo - 155^th Group
:::450° Gruppo STO - 450^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::550° Gruppo SLO - 550^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::650ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 650^th Joint Squadron
:: '51° Stormo - 51^th Wing' (after 'Ferruccio Serafini)'
:::22° Gruppo - 22^th Group
:::103° Gruppo - 103^th Group
:::451° Gruppo STO - 451^st TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::551° Gruppo SLO - 551^st LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::651ª Squadriglia Collegamenti e Soccorso - 651^st Joint and Rescue Squadron
:: '53° Stormo - 53^th Wing' (after 'Guglielmo Chiarini)'
:::21° Gruppo - 21^th Group
:::453° Gruppo STO - 453^rd TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::553° Gruppo SLO - 553^rd LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::653ª Squadriglia Collegamenti e Soccorso - 653^rd Joint and Rescue Squadron
:::1° Reparto Manutenzione Velivoli - 1st Aircraft Maintenance Unit
:'Seconda Regione Aerea - Second Air Region' (Central Italy)
:: '4° Stormo - 41^st Wing' (after 'Amedeo D'Aosta)'
:::9° Gruppo - 9^th Group
:::20° Gruppo - 20^th Group
:::404° Gruppo STO - 404^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::504° Gruppo SLO - 504^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::604ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 604^th Joint Squadron
:: '9° Stormo - 9^th Wing' (after 'Francesco Baracca)'
:::10° Gruppo - 10^th Group
:::409° Gruppo STO - 409^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::509° Gruppo SLO - 509^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::609ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 609^th Joint Squadron
:: '14° Stormo - 14^th Wing' (after 'Sergio Sartoff)'
:::8° Gruppo - 8^th Group
:::71° Gruppo - 71^th Group
:::Centro Manutenzione Velivoli - Aircraft Maintenance Centre
:: '15° Stormo - 15^th Wing' (after 'Stefano Cagna)'
:::82° Centro SAR - 82^nd Group (Search and Rescue)
:::83° Centro SAR - 83^rd Group (Search and Rescue)
:::84° Centro SAR - 84^th Group (Search and Rescue)
:::85° Gruppo SAR - 85^th Group (Search and Rescue)
:::615ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 615^th Joint Squadron
:: '30° Stormo - 30^th Wing' (after 'Valerio Scarabellotto)'
:::86° Gruppo - 86^th Group
:::430° Gruppo STO - 430^rd TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::530° Gruppo SLO - 530^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:: '31° Stormo - 31^th Wing' (after 'Carmelo Raiti)'
:::93° Gruppo - 93^th Group
:::306° Gruppo - 306 ^th Group
:::431° Gruppo STO - 431^st TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::531° Gruppo SLO - 531^st LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:: '46ª Brigata Aerea - 46^th Air Brigade' (after 'Silvio Angelucci)'
:::2° Gruppo - 2^nd Group
:::50° Gruppo - 50^th Group
:::98° Gruppo - 98^th Group
:::446° Gruppo STO - 446^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::546° Gruppo SLO - 546^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:: '70° Stormo - 70^th Wing'
:::207° Gruppo - 207^th Group
:::50° Gruppo - 50^th Group
:::98° Gruppo - 98^th Group
:::470° Gruppo STO - 470^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::570° Gruppo SLO - 570^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::670ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 670^th Joint Squadron
:: '72° Stormo - 72^nd Wing'
:::208° Gruppo - 208^th Group
:::472° Gruppo STO - 472^nd TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::572° Gruppo SLO - 572^nd LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::672ª Squadriglia Collegamenti e Soccorso - 672^th Joint Squadron
:: '303° Gruppo Autonomo - 303^th Independent Group'
:: 'Centro di Volo a Vela - Glider Flight Centre'
:: 'Reparto Sperimentale Tiro Aereo - Air Targeting Experimental Unit'
:'Terza Regione Aerea - Third Air Region' (Southern Italy)
:: '32° Stormo - 32^nd Wing' (after 'Armando Boetto)'
:::13° Gruppo - 13^th Group
:::201° Gruppo - 201^th Group
:::204° Gruppo - 204^th Group
:::432° Gruppo STO - 432^nd TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::532° Gruppo SLO - 532^nd LOS Unit (Logistic Operative Services)
:::632ª Squadriglia Collegamenti e Soccorso - 632^nd Joint and Rescue Squadron
:: '36° Stormo - 36^th Wing' (after 'Riccardo Helmut Seidl)'
:::12° Gruppo - 12^th Group
:::156° Gruppo - 156^th Group
:::204° Gruppo - 204^th Group
:::436° Gruppo STO - 436^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::536° Gruppo SLO - 536^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::636ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 636^th Joint Squadron
:: '37° Stormo (Cesare Toschi)'
:::18° Gruppo - 18^th Group
:::437° Gruppo STO - 437^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::537° Gruppo SLO - 537^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::637ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 637^th Joint Squadron
:: '41° Stormo - 41^st Wing' (after 'Athos Ammannato)'
:::88° Gruppo - 88^th Group
:::441° Gruppo STO - 441^th TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::541° Gruppo SLO - 541^th LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::641ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 641^st Joint Squadron
:::11° Reparto Manutenzione Velivoli - 11^st Aircraft Maintenance Unit
::'''Dismissed'' - 60ª Brigata Aerea - 60^th Air Brigade'
:: '61° Stormo - 61^st Wing'
:::212° Gruppo - 212^nd Group
:::213° Gruppo - 213^rd Group
:::Gruppo Allievi - Students Group
:::461° Gruppo STO - 461^st TOS Group (Technical Operative Support)
:::561° Gruppo SLO - 561^st LOS Group (Logistic Operative Services)
:::661ª Squadriglia Collegamenti - 661^st Joint Squadron
:::10° Reparto Manutenzione Velivoli - 10^th Aircraft Maintenance Unit
:'Comando Generale delle Scuole' - 'School High Command'
::'Scuola di Guerra Aerea - Firenze' - 'Air Warfare School - Florence'
::'Accademia Aeronautica - Pozzuoli' - 'Air Academy - Pozzuoli'
::'Scuola Militare - Firenze' - 'Air Military School - Florence'
::'Scuola di Applicazione - Firenze' - 'Application School - Florence'
::'Scuola di Volo Basico Iniziale Aviogetti - Lecce-Galatina' - 'Initial Basic Jet Flight School - Lecce-Galatina'
::'Scuola Volo Basico Avanzato Aviogetti - Foggia-Amendola' - 'Advanced Basic Jet Flight School - Foggia-Amendola'
::'Scuola Volo Basico e Avanzato a Elica - Latina' - 'Basic and Advanced Prop School - Latina'
::'Scuola di Volo Elicotteri - Frosinone' - 'Helicopter Flight School - Frosinone'
::'Scuola Addestramento Reclute AM - Macerata' - 'Recruit Training School - Macerata'
::'Scuola Addesrtamento Reclute AM - Taranto' - 'Recruit Training School - Taranto'
::'Scuola Addestramento Reclute Vigilanza AM - Viterbo' - 'Vigilance Recruit Training School - Viterbo'
::'Scuola Centrale Istruttori di Volo - Grottaglie' - 'Flight Instructor Central School - Grottaglie'
::'Scuola Metodo Didattico - Guidonia' - 'Didactic Method School - Guidonia'
::'Scuola Sottufficiali - Caserta' - 'Warrant Officers School - Caserta'
::'Centro Tecnico Addestrativo Difesa Aerea - Borgo Piave' - 'Training Air Defense Technical Centre - Borgo Piave'
::'Centro Tecn. Addestr. TLC ed assistenza al volo - Pratica di Mare' - 'Training TLC and Flight Assistance Technical Centre - Pratica di Mare'
::'Scuola di Sanità AM - Roma' - 'Medical School - Rome'
::'Scuola Lingue Estere AM - Ciampino' - 'Foreign Languages School - Ciampino'
:'Ispettorato Logistico' - 'Logistic Inspectorate'
:'Ispettorato Telecomunicazioni ed Assistenza al Volo' - 'TLC and Flight Assistance Inspectorate'
:'Comando Scuola di Guerra Aerea' - 'Air Warfare Command'
:'Divisione Aerea Studi, Ricerche e Sperimentazioni' - 'Study, Research and Experimentations Air Division'
:: 'Reparto Sperimentale di Volo' - 'Experimental Flight Unit'

Photos

See also

★ Military of Italy

★ Italian Army

★ Marina Militare

★ Carabinieri

★ Guardia di Finanza

★ NATO

★ List of air forces

External links

★ Aeronautica Militare web page

★ ala tricolore

References

1. "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, ''Aviation Week & Space Technology'', January 15 2007.
2. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/08/09/215970/italy-gets-first-pirate-eurofighter.html. 29 Delivered by the end of 2007.